In 1979, Issam Bader founded Gallery 79 in Ramallah to give Palestinian artists a permanent place to exhibit, meet and engage with the public. More than an exhibition venue, the gallery was conceived as a cultural and educational space that could support artistic life beyond a single event.
Founding a Permanent Home for Art
Before Gallery 79, Palestinian artists often depended on temporarily available clubs and institutional halls to present their work. A contemporary account in Shu’un Filastiniyya records Bader’s belief that artists needed a lasting home for individual and group exhibitions, as well as a place where the public could encounter art regularly.
While Bader founded the gallery, its programme developed through collective participation. Artists including Nabil Anani, Sliman Mansour and Kamel Mughanni contributed to its exhibitions and activities, helping turn Gallery 79 into a shared platform for Palestinian art.
Artists, Education and Public Life
Gallery 79 hosted individual and group exhibitions by Palestinian artists. Birzeit University Museum documents Nabil Anani’s Paintings and Ceramics exhibition there in 1980, while contemporary reports also record exhibitions by Muhammad Hammoudeh and Sliman Mansour.
The gallery’s purpose extended beyond exhibitions. Developing children’s artistic abilities and encouraging public appreciation of art formed part of its programme. By bringing together artists, students and audiences, Gallery 79 connected artistic production with education and public cultural life.
Closure and Continuing Legacy
A report published in The Link in 1982 records that Gallery 79 closed in September 1980 following the confiscation of works and a dispute over permission to operate during the opening of an exhibition. Although its formal life was brief, the gallery had established a model for a permanent, artist-led cultural space in Ramallah.
Its influence continued beyond its doors. A 1984 publication on Palestinian visual art remained associated with the Gallery 79 name, extending the project through documentation and publishing. The gallery’s history demonstrates how exhibition-making, education, organization and publishing could all form part of artistic practice.