About the Foundation
Bassam Freiha Art Foundation (BFAF) is a non-profit institution established by philanthropist and art collector HE Bassam Said Freiha, who has collected works from the Orientalist art movement for over 50 years. The foundation hosts exhibitions that feature works from his own collection alongside showcasing the collections of regional and international patrons. BFAF is the only private art foundation on Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Island Cultural District, free and open for everyone, and it is focused on showcasing global, regional and local art collections. It aims to support and nurture emerging talent, inspire dialogue, and to promote art education and public engagement with the arts through diverse and inclusive year-round programming.
About the Founder
His Excellency Bassam Said Freiha (b.1939) is a philanthropist and collector. His collection focuses on the Orientalist movement and includes works by Rudolf Ernst, Léon Comerre, Paul Leroy, Jan-Baptist Huysmans, Vincent Stiepevich, Georges Washington, Fabio Fabbi, Maguelonne Lefebvre-Glaize and Marie-Antoinette Izart, among others. In 1976, Freiha co-founded the Mathaf gallery in London with his business partner, the late financier Brian MacDermot. The gallery was the first in the city dedicated to art from the Orientalist movement. A passionate collector, Freiha’s first acquisitions of pieces from the Orientalist movement include Prayers in the Mosque by Henry Livy, Saturday of Light in Jerusalem by Eugene Girardet and The Carpet Seller by Charles Robertson.
“Inspired by a lifetime of cultural experiences and artistic encounters, my vision is to create a space where art transcends time and borders, igniting a passion for the arts and philantrophy in future generations.”
BASSAM SAID FREIHA
About the Curator
Dr. Michaela Watrelot is a curator, educator and published author. At Bassam Freiha Art Foundation, Michaela oversees exhibition planning and curation, the development of education and public outreach programmes, and the management of strategic partnerships. With a PhD in History of Art from Charles University in Prague and a Master’s degree from the University of Vienna, her expertise spans the art of the 19th and 20th centuries, public art commissions and art market studies. Previously, Watrelot contributed to the field of art history as an International Scholar at the Berlin State Museums, leading an independent research project that resulted in the monograph Wilhelm von Bode and the American Art Market: The Rudolphe Kann Collection, published by Routledge (December 2023).
About the Architecture
Designed by Rasha Gebran, Director of Design at A.D.D. Consultants, the exhibition venue is conceived as a luminous glass box floating above a serene reflecting pool. It reflects the vision of His Excellency Bassam Said Freiha, combining strength with elegance.
The structure features a glass façade with structural fins, paired with concrete slabs and columns that create a light, open interior. Inspired by a minimalist ethos, the space uses natural finishes and an open-plan layout to highlight the artworks.
Wrapped in a protective steel and cladding envelope, the building withstands the region’s climate while maintaining a bold architectural presence — a lasting symbol of artistic vision and resilience.