LONDON.- Based between Bahrain and London, Abdulrahman Al Zayani is one of the leading collectors in the Middle East, together with his family assembling a multitude of artworks from the historic Islamic world to modern and contemporary international art and design. In recent years, they have also launched A2Z, a luxury advisory service for private clients in New York, London and the Gulf who want to expand their jewellery and collections.

This Spring, Sotheby’s will offer over 80 works of art from the pioneering Al Zayani family collection, all of which have been hung alongside each other in their home in Bahrain – marrying together an impeccable taste with eclecticism. Hailing from Egypt, Turkey, Lebanon, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and North Africa, the artists in this collection represent the vast artistic production created over the last century in the Middle East. Exploring myriad themes and mediums, each work represents a different aesthetic whilst tying into a rich thread of cultural heritage.

The first unveiling of the collection will take place at Sotheby’s Dubai from 28 February to 3 March. Works by Abdel Hadi El-Gazzar, Hassan Hajjaj, Fahrelnissa Zeid, Hatem El-Mekki, Mahmoud Moussa, Mohammed Melehi, Fouad Kamel, Gazbia Sirry, Farid Belkahia, Behjat Sadr and Taner Ceylan will go on view to the public, alongside worldwide auction highlights including jewellery, watches and arts of the Islamic world and India. This will be followed by an exhibition of the collection in its entirety in London from 21 to 25 April, ahead of the live auction on 25 April (alongside which will run Sotheby’s bi-annual 20th Century Art / Middle East online sale, closing on 27 April).

“As we open the doors to our collection, the overarching sense is that these pieces were acquired with love, and we are excited for them to go to new homes where they will be discovered and appreciated anew. As with all journeys, new pathways must be travelled, and so with this auction we are opening a new chapter of both our story and the story of these timeless artworks. The world of Middle Eastern art has transformed since we first started almost two decades ago, and we are proud to witness and be a part of that evolution, living in a region that is now becoming one of the cultural hubs of the world.” --The Al Zayani Family

“Bringing together the best of the best from this field – across the breadth of the Middle East – this sale marks a unique opportunity for budding collectors to acquire rare and important works from artistic masters from the region.” --Ashkan Baghestani, Sotheby’s Contemporary Art Specialist