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Gareth Harris

Tony Salamé, the Lebanese founder of the Aïshti fashion chain, hopes to put Lebanon on the contemporary art map with a new museum due to open in Jal el Dib, a coastal site in Beirut, in October. The Aïshti Foundation building, designed by the British architect David Adjaye, is costing $100m. The opening show will be organised by Massimiliano Gioni, artistic director of the New Museum in New York. The building will form part of a commercial centre with a sculpture terrace on the waterfront, to be overseen by Cecilia Alemani, director of High Line Art in New York.

Salamé began buying art in 2003, initially acquiring Arte Povera works by Lucio Fontana, Alberto Burri, Giuseppe Penone and Michelangelo Pistoletto. His 2,000-strong collection now includes pieces by artists such as Christopher Wool, Gerhard Richter, Franz West, Richard Prince, Wade Guyton, Danh Vō and Carol Bove.

“We faced many delays due to the instabilities in the regions, but now we’re almost done,” says Salamé, adding that “the art gallery spaces measure around 3,000 sq metres”.