Oman Observer
Wednesday 06th, November 2013
By Melanie Held

Last Wednesday saw the opening of a new art gallery at the Bait Al Zubair Museum entitled ‘Gallery Sarah,’ as a tribute to the late Sarah White who passed away earlier this year. “The opening of ‘Gallery Sarah’ will be a shining beacon of the growing art movement in Oman, and will further aid in the development of young artists and enhance the artistic culture in Oman.”

As family members from both Sarah’s and the Zubair side, fellow artists, friends and art fans gathered together for the opening of the new art gallery, Bait Zubair and its family members reminded the guests of Sarah White’s great contribution to the art scene in Oman and to the museum, “as arts advisor and museum director at Bait Al Zubair Museum, Sarah White was an integral member of the team that set up Bait Al Zubair, a museum dedicated to showcasing Oman’s rich cultural heritage and history.”

“Sarah’s contribution to developing the Omani art scene will be deeply missed. As a tribute to her enduring spirit, and her love for Oman, ‘Gallery Sarah’ will provide a dynamic space that continues to engage with art lovers in Oman, and will welcome visitors from across the world,” explained Mohammad Al Zubair.

As the newest addition to the Bait Al Zubair Museum, thus operating under the museum, ‘Gallery Sarah’ takes on a modern look and feel to its interior, as glass doors and a spacious hall encompasses some of “Sarah’s own collection of paintings” as well as “a unique selection of Omani paintings, artworks and photographs.” From the walls to its columns, each piece is meticulously spread out allowing guests to enjoy the pieces individually and the as a whole.

On the surface, this gallery looks like an ordinary gallery with painting, pictures and souvenir items for sale, but it is, in fact, Oman’s first gallery whereby its artwork can be purchased online. Equipped with an E-commerce website, www.gallerysarah.com, Gallery Sarah will allow people within Oman and around the world the chase to become familiar with the artistic talent in Oman. People from around the world will have the opportunity to get their art pieces delivered to them, from Oman, though this website, thus enhancing Oman’s position in the global art world.

This new gallery will also host bi-monthly exhibitions whereby artists, both international and Omani, will be able to showcase their works on Bait Zubair’s newest gallery. The grounds of the gallery will look to help bring new emerging artists to the forefront as well as being a place where distinguished artist’s pieces. With workshops and activities lined up for the gallery, ‘Gallery Sarah’ will not only been known for the woman to whom it was dedicated to but also for what she and the Zubair family wish for Oman and it’s art scene.

As guests admired the elegance of the gallery, understood the meaning behind its creation and envision great opportunities and doors that it will open for art in Oman, it was clear that the spirit of Sarah and what she embodied was captured and opened up for the whole world to embrace and love.

‘Gallery Sarah,’ which is opened from Sunday to Thursday, 9am-1pm and 4pm-8pm, has already made its mark in Oman, by being the first art E-commerce portal in the Sultanate and will become “a shining beacon of the growing art movement in the Sultanate, and will further aid in the development of young artists and enhance the artistic culture in Oman.”