Yasmine Taan, director of the IAAW. (Photo Creation 9)
Organized in April at the art gallery of the Gezairi building of the Lebanese American University (LAU) by the Institute of Arab World Art (IAAW), in collaboration with the Ramzi and Saeda Dalloul Art Foundation (DAF), the exhibition Women's Agency in Arab Art: Kinship, Education and Political Activism highlighted 39 works by pioneering female artists from Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt and Morocco, or those connected with these countries.
Born between 1905 and 1948, the 19 women featured contributed to the evolution of art in their region during the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. Some participated in the development of major art movements, such as the Houroufia movement, the Casablanca school, the New Vision group in Palestine, the Baghdad modern art group, and the contemporary art group in Egypt.
"The exhibition not only presents the creations of these women, but also aims to tell the stories connected to their works," said Yasmine Taan, director of the IAAW.
For Taan, an associate professor of art history and design at LAU, art can be a political act, anchored in history, and contribute to the preservation of memory and oral traditions. The exhibition should thus be viewed from this perspective.
"Women have always been remarkable artists. They fully participate in the field of art, but also in the sciences and the intellectual evolution of civilizations. Yet, they remain insufficiently present in historical narratives, and little research has been dedicated to them," she stated.
Taan also said that one of the exhibition's goals, curated by Wafa Roz, director of the DAF, is to introduce these forgotten or little-recognized pioneering artists to the wider public and students.
"The gallery is part of an educational institution; its objective is therefore to raise awareness among a broad audience by sharing not just paintings, but also research, stories, and archival documents. This exhibition is distinct because it not only highlights the works but also the research work that accompanies them, through the documents displayed," she stated.
Conducted by a DAF team with LAU students, this work explores various archives: posters from the 1950s to 1970s, postcards, letters addressed by artists to family members, photographs, or invitations to exhibitions. In parallel, QR codes provided access to more research available online on the DAF website.
Women who initiated change in their society
The exhibition Women's Agency in Arab Art: Kinship, Education and Political Activism highlights the unique aspects of these women's artistic practices during a post-independence and post-colonial period in their countries. Rooted in their time, these practices are marked by their personal journeys and relationships, social status, political engagement, and educational role, with some having played a major role in art education, especially at LAU, then known as Beirut College for Women.
"During the 1960s, artists began questioning the nature of modern art. How do we produce modern art? What are we trying to express? At that time, a shift occurred. From art that seeks to represent the world as we see it, copying reality like a photographed scene, artists moved to an art that reflects daily life, whether political, social, or familial," said Taan.
Through its various sections, the exhibition reveals artists who were activists, politically engaged, others who took a social stance, representing women in their daily lives in a stylized manner, reflecting a feminism unique to our region.
"This feminism does not necessarily have to resemble the Western concept of feminism, which often emphasizes the woman as an individual separate from her family. In Arab culture, where family is central, feminism can also rely on the support of this core, in both directions. A woman can thus support her husband, brother, father, just as she can be supported by them. I don't think there's any issue defining feminism as rooted in family relationships," explained the IAAW director.
The exhibition was also accompanied by a panel discussion.
"The goal was to invite the artists' relatives to testify about their works. Given the lack of extensive research or publications dedicated to these women, we wanted to highlight oral history and memory. This panel discussion also aimed to emphasize the role of women, not only in artistic creation but also in writing about art and preserving artists' archives, both men and women," said Taan.
Taking place in an academic setting, the exhibition also contributes to enriching students' practice and perspectives.
"As a teacher in art and design, I observe that the majority of my students are women. Yet, the majority of graduates who gain visibility and recognition are men," stated Taan. This observation leads her to question her own responsibility as an educator. "How can we better initiate leadership, introduce new ways of thinking, encourage these women to start, to progress, to not be afraid? This art event helps show that women can succeed. It's crucial to present them as heroines, women who initiated change in their society, rather than just as supporting figures," hoping the young generation will see them as role models to follow.
The IAAW director finally states that this event is only the beginning of a long journey to undertake.
"It's a call we are making to students, teachers, researchers, art critics, and curators to focus on marginalized artists, including women, and engage in more research. We still have a lot to learn and much to do, even to initiate a very small change. So many artists remain to be discovered. We need to dive into the archives to reveal their art and ideas," she said.
Taan stated that this event is "just an initiative, a simple introduction," while there is "a real need, as evidenced by the questions and engagement during this event."
The collection Women's Agency in Arab Art: Kinship, Education and Political Activism will soon be exhibited at the DAF, although the dates have not yet been announced. Additional works by female artists will also enrich the exhibition.
This article was originally published in French in L'Orient-Le Jour.
