In the opening line of the Odyssey, Homer invokes the Muse of Memory to assist him in telling the story of the Greek hero Ulysses and his tenyear journey home. The poet knows that heroic deeds are worthless if nobody remembers them, so he asks for divine help to keep memory alive. Being in a new home in Greece on our tenth anniversary, it’s almost inevitable to not think of and reflect on Homer’s great epic. Carwan Gallery has crossed the seas many times, from one continent to the other, following our passion for great design, creativity and collaboration. 

Since its founding in 2011, Carwan has indeed traveled the world: Beirut, Doha, Dubai, Jeddah, Athens, Milan, St. Moritz, Basel, Berlin, London, Cape Town, Miami and New York are some of the places we have landed in, presenting about 70 exhibitions in total and building dozens of collaborations with international partners along the way. It is in these places and during these exciting journeys that we have met many of you. And we feel very fortunate for this privilege. The value of life and its ephemerality became quite clear after our chapter in Lebanon, when we regrettably had to leave great friends and memories behind. 

This anniversary exhibition is an opportunity for us to remember some of our most important moments. We call upon the Muse of Memory too, to help us reflect on our past and draw our path to the future. Carwan will continue to champion great design, hopefully for another ten years or even more, following our vision for being a platform that fosters new creative possibilities and the exchange of new ideas.