Marking two decades since its founding, The Third Line opens The Only Way Out Is Through: The Twentieth Line, curated by Shumon Basar. The exhibition, together with a programme of conversations and the return of the gallery’s Flash Sales Specials, traces not only the evolution of its artists but also the wider cultural, political, and economic shifts that have shaped the last twenty years. From its beginnings in 2005 – when contemporary art from the Middle East was still emerging onto the global stage – the gallery has played a pivotal role in fostering dialogue and visibility. In this conversation, Sunny Rahbar, co-founder of Third Line Gallery, reflects on the journey, the challenges, and the shifting horizons that have defined The Third Line’s first twenty years.
Looking back at The Third Line’s founding in 2005, how did the initial vision for the gallery take shape in a cultural landscape that was still finding its footing regionally and internationally?
When we started The Third Line, the art landscape in the region was very different. There were very few spaces for contemporary artists from the Middle East, South Asia, and beyond to be seen and taken seriously on an international level. Our vision was to create a platform that not only supported artists locally but also gave them visibility globally. We wanted to build a bridge between the region and the wider art world, and to show that artists from here could be part of an international conversation while still speaking from their own contexts.
How have the gallery’s curatorial choices responded to the shifting political and cultural climate over the years?
We’ve always believed that art reflects its time. The artists we work with are deeply engaged with the social, political, and cultural realities around them, and as a gallery, we’ve tried to give space for those voices to come through authentically. Whether it’s moments of upheaval, transformation, or celebration, our program has always been responsive to what our artists are exploring and in turn, what audiences are grappling with.
How has your approach to artist representation evolved, and what does it mean to sustain these long-term relationships?
From the beginning, representation for us has never been just about showing and selling artworks, it’s been about building long-term partnerships with artists and supporting them in different stages of their practice. Over the years, we’ve grown with our artists, and many of them have been with us since the very early days. Sustaining those relationships means committing to their vision, sometimes over decades, and recognizing that their work continues to evolve. That continuity is something we’re very proud of.
The exhibition is structured around key global and regional events across four time periods. How did this chronological framework shape the way you revisited and selected works from the gallery’s archive?
The framework gave us a way to revisit the past twenty years not just through the gallery’s lens, but through the larger shifts happening globally and regionally. It allowed us to reflect on how our artists have responded to those moments – sometimes directly, sometimes more subtly – and how the gallery’s program has evolved alongside them. It became less about creating a linear history and more about showing the ways art has intersected with life, politics, and culture.
What was the process like working with Shumon Basar on this retrospective project, and how did his curatorial lens influence the narrative of the exhibition?
Working with Shumon was really exciting. He has a very sharp and nuanced way of thinking about culture and history, and he brought a different perspective to our archive. He was able to look at the last twenty years not just as the story of a gallery, but as a mirror of larger cultural and geopolitical shifts. His curatorial lens helped us shape the exhibition into something that feels bigger than a retrospective; it feels like a meditation on the times we’ve all lived through.
As you mark this milestone, how are you thinking about the gallery’s future?
For us, this milestone is both a celebration and a moment of reflection. We’re proud of what we’ve built with our artists and community, but we’re also looking forward. The art world is changing rapidly, and so is our region. Our goal is to continue supporting our artists in meaningful ways, to champion new voices, and to keep creating space for dialogue and exchange. The future is about building on what we’ve done, while staying open to new possibilities.
Location: Third Line Gallery, Dubai, UAE.
Date: 18 September until 7 November 2025