THE ART CIRCLE
دائرة الفن
Meet the Team
Board Members
BARBARA FARAHNICK-MATHONET Founder & President
Barbara Farahnick-Mathonet is the Founder and President of The Art Circle. Art has been an integral part of her life from an early age, with a family legacy deeply entrenched in the art world. Her father was a gallerist, as well as her grandmother, and her brother continues this tradition as a gallerist today. Additionally, her sister is an artist, making art a constant presence in her life.
Even while working for more than 20 years at Chanel France as a Regional Sales Manager, and prior to that for 3 years at Estée Lauder in a similar role, Barbara remained deeply connected to the world of art.
ASMA SEDEEQ AL MOTAWA
Honorary Board Member & Senior Advisor
An Emirati holding a BA in Business Administration from the United Arab Emirates University in 1987 and a Masters in Contemporary Islam from Zayed University, in 2013.
She is the Founder and Chairwoman of Al Multaqa Literary Salon since 1998. She also launched numerous social, cultural and humanitarian initiatives and has made outstanding contributions to fundraising for affected countries.
Asma is a member of several local, regional and international institutions, and initiated the publications of Al Multaqa Literary Salon and published
HODA FOUAD CHAHINE
Treasurer & Founding Member
Hoda Fouad Chahine, Lebanese, a. graduate from the American University of Beirut with a bachelor’s degree in Biology and a master’s degree in Public Health.
She lives in Abu Dhabi for more than forty years.
Her career life was very far from art. She joined the Ministry of Health and worked as a public Health Consultant for more than three decades. She witnessed throughout her career major changes in the development of the health care delivery system.
NOOR AL SUWAIDI
Artistic Adviser
Noor Al Suwaidi is an Artist, Curator and Cultural Producer with over 15 years experience in the arts and creative industries. Al Suwaidi graduated in 2004 with a bachelor’s degree in Studio Art from American University in Washington, D.C. In 2009 she obtained a master’s degree in Curating Contemporary Design from Kingston University, London. Noor’s artwork has been exhibited in gallery shows in London, Kuwait, Berlin, Washington, D.C., Dubai, Sharjah, Al Ain, and Abu Dhabi. As a curator, Noor specializes in curating exhibitions of Emirati artists both locally and internationally.
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SYLVIE HULOT-MAKKAR
Exhibition Coordinator
Art is quite literally in Sylvie's roots. Being raised in Vincent Van Gogh's last town of residence (Auvers-sur-Oise, France) sparked a passion for art in her that has blossomed into a lifelong commitment.
Though she is an art enthusiast and a modest collector, she comes to the Art Circle with two Masters and 30 years of experience in the education sector - a career that took her to several countries in the region and gave her the opportunity to explore art in different contexts.
Having lived in the UAE on and off since 1993, Sylvie is particularly fascinated by the recent and rapid growth of the Emirati art scene and what the future of art in the region could hold.
NADA AKKARI
Editor & Founding Member
After graduating with a Licence in Business Management (Université de Geneve), Nada followed her real passion. She enrolled in a year course of modern art history at Christies London and interior design studies at Chelsea College of Art before co-founding her interior design company, DN Designs Ltd. in 1992, and later DN Designs Collection Ltd for a range of home accessories.
Her love and passion for art and design led her to join the Art Circle as a member and later as a Board member in Abu Dhabi.
LINA MIKATI
Founding Member
Lina was very excited about the idea of forming this wonderful club with enthusiasts like herself.
The art world always fascinated her albeit unrelated to her studies. Lina has a degree in English literature and a certificate in business administration.
Nonetheless, her infatuation led her to take different courses related to art. She has been collecting art pieces for over 30 years now, and what makes her home different are these elements of memorabilia that she makes sure to acquire and collect during her frequent travels.
MARÍA JOSÉ R. ESCOLAR
Founding Member
María José R. Escolar www.mjrescolar.com is a Spanish artist. She has a Degree in Fine Arts (University of Salamanca, Spain). She completed her formation at The Rijksakademie van Beeldenden Kunsten, Amsterdam. In the last 25 years she has lived in the UAE, China, Syria, Morocco, Belgium, Gabon. She is currently living and working in Madrid (Spain).
María José began her career in 1989 and has featured in numerous solo and group exhibitions in many countries.
Contributors
REEMA BSEISO
Event Coordinator
Reema has lived in Abu Dhabi for over 40 years, keenly observing the city’s transformation from a pearl-diving hub to a premier global art destination. Born into a family of both artists and collectors, Reema gained a passion for art at an early age. This enthusiasm has led her to museums and art fairs across the globe, constantly learning about the great artistic movements of history. She aspires to be an advocate for Middle Eastern art and hopes to bring art from the region to the mainstream.
After being a part of the Art Circle as a member, she is very excited to join the board and help the team build on the foundation established over the past few years.
GIDA EL KHEYAMI
Head of Communication
Graphic designer, visual artist and independent filmmaker with a passion for art in all it forms.
With a bachelor's degree in Graphic Design and a masters degree in Filmmaking, Gida has trained as a creative in the fields of advertising, film and TV. In a way she has always had a career adjacent to art and culture.
Later on, once based in the UAE, she founded an event planning boutique, building a brand up from scratch, managing social media accounts, and creating content.