We are one

​It has been one year since Bloom opened its doors. Our mission has always been to bridge the gap between the two edges of the Mediterranean, to find the commonality that binds creatives from disparate cultures. Lebanese owned, we formed with a commitment to artists from the region, as well as artists based here in Valencia. Displaced, diasporic, we wanted to create a community of like-minded people. One year of openings, events, artists, lessons learned, people met, we feel that we are on the way to achieving out goal. Our opening exhibition, Levant/e, explicitly explored this plurality with artists from the Middle East and the Valencian community. The title was a play on alternative names for the two regions – the Levant (the Middle East that includes Lebanon) and Levante (Valencia).

Now we end our first year of existence (and start the second) with Querencia by Sami Basbous. Sami epitomizes our ethos: Lebanese born, a nomad living in numerous countries, an artist, musician, writer, performer, he is now based in rural Valencia. One day he walked into the gallery, told by a distance people about an exhibition called Levant/e. The rest, as they say, is history.

Querencia is a metaphysical concept taken from the verb “querer” which means “to want” or “to love”. However, the reality of Querencia is more poetic and sentimental than its literal translation. It is rooted deep in emotions, culture, and a sense of longing for and belonging to a place where one feels the most safe and secure, a place that is “home”.