Commencement exercises and honorary doctorates ceremony 2014. A rare female voice in the beirut art scene from the 1940s onwards, she has spent her career combining. Saloua raouda choucair, early exponent of abstract arabian art. She is one of the most respected living artists in lebanon, though her work is little known outside of her home country. She was the first abstract artist in lebanon, and her exhibition in 1947 at the arab cultural gallery in beirut is considered to have been the arab worlds first abstract painting display.
Saloua raouda choucair was a lebanese painter and sculptor. Art was a part of choucairs life from the very beginning, and she believed that, for her, art is innate. Saloua raouda choucair, pioneering lebanese artist, 19162017. Saloua raouda choucair modern arab design idea books. As a female artist in beirut, saloua raouda choucair produced work. The worlds first major museum exhibition of lebanese artist saloua raouda choucair celebrates this remarkable artists extraordinary body of work choucair is a pioneer of abstract art in the middle east and, born in 1916, takes her rightful position as a significant figure in the history of twentiethcentury art. She is said to have been the first abstract artist in lebanon, though she sold nothing there until 1962. Saloua raouda choucair s modular sculpture ann coxon examines the artists threedimensional works by situating her artistic approaches between the.
Apr 29, 2015 saloua raouda choucair 1916 a lebanese painter and sculptor born in beirut, lebanon, saloua was the first abstract artist in lebanon though she sold nothing here until 1962. Choucair started painting in the studios of moustafa farroukh 1935 and omar onsi 1942. She is said to have been the first abstract artist in. Inspired by a range of influences, from the architecture of le corbusier to arabic poetry, choucair was largely unrecognized as an artist until later in life. Find the latest shows, biography, and artworks for sale by saloua raouda choucair. It was in the university journal that she published her first manifesto. One rows protuberance burrows into a cavity in the.
As a child, i often accompanied mother on her visits to the campus. Saloua raouda choucair, the lebanese artist and pioneer of abstract art in the middle east, has died. Her style is pure abstraction of form and line, just like a mathematical equation. Saloua raouda choucair was a pioneer of abstract art in the middle east.
May 02, 20 saloua raouda choucair is famous in lebanon for bringing abstraction to the middle east. Saloua raouda choucair, born in beirut in 1916, is a pioneering figure in the development of abstract art in the middle east in the 20th century. In the late lebanese artist saloua raouda choucair s poem sculptures, rows of blocks sit atop one another, each nestled into the next. Saloua raouda choucair s work twoone 194751, with its interlocking and overlapping forms, is representative of her midcentury modernist style and her interest in modular forms and can also be seen to echo arabic calligraphya salient reference that would run through her abstractions on canvas and in sculpture over the next half century. Choucair went on to say that her works wasnt an influence by the european art, but was mainly universal influence. Art was a part of choucairs life from the very beginning, and she believed that, for her. Her practice spanned from the 1940s until the 1990s and included painting and sculpture as well as homeware and jewelry design, illustration, and architectural models, comprising a very diverse body of work that. Reconsidering the work of a lebanese female artist who.
A pioneer of abstract art in the middle east, her work speaks about the transition and translation of a number of influences from her life in paris in the 1940s under the influence of fernand leger. Poem comprises five carved wood blocks placed on top of one another to create a vertical sculpture. Open book, read by jessica simpson, reveals her inner monologue and most. Painter and sculptor saloua raouda choucair, one of the first. The work combines still life and landscape and shows her shift towards abstraction with an expressive use of colour, shape and space you can further explore the history of modern art in st ives online take a virtual tour of our 8 galleries, room by room. Its also a very important exhibition to witness for. Saloua raouda choucair, the book by jessica morgan published on the.
Saloua raouda choucair geometric east meets abstract. Saloua raouda choucair is considered one of the earliest abstractionists in lebanon. The wonderful thing here is that choucair is able to experience the recognition that she deserves, albeit not in person. Little known outside her native country of lebanon, salouda raouda choucair is an artist born in 1916 whose work is the subject of an exhibition at the tate modern that places her rightfully as one of the pioneers of abstract art. Choucair has dedicated her life to art through her interest in a vast array of subjects such as islamic art and poetry. Saloua raouda choucair, born in 1916 in beirut, was the first abstract artist in. Now 97, choucair is unable to travel to this modest summary of her lifes work. Feb 17, 2017 saloua raouda choucair, a lebanese artist and one of the first abstractionists in the arab world, whose sense of line and form derived from islamic art brought a new idiom to modernism. She was constantly reading about new discoveries in science. Buy online, view images and see past prices for isamu noguchi invaluable is the worlds largest marketplace for art, antiques, and collectibles.
Your mom merged art, design, craft and architecture in her work. Her exhibition in 1947 at the arab cultural gallery in beirut is considered to have been the arab worlds first abstract painting exhibition. June 24, 1916 january 26, 2017 was a lebanese painter and sculptor. Indeed, it was the first major exhibition outside her native lebanon for choucair, who has. Yet, what makes her work significant is the reality that choucair has been working as a female artist in the beirut art scene from the 1940s, studying in the studio of fernand leger in paris, and producing abstract art alongside the historical western modernist art movement. Sanctuaries saloua raouda choucair selections arts. Saloua raouda choucair american university of beirut. Choucair, now 96 years old, has dedicated her entire life to enriching art through her interest in a vast array of subjects such as architecture, painting, science, mathematics, islamic art and poetry. The late saloua raouda choucair a pioneer of abstract art. A prolific artist with an oeuvre of astounding breadth and depth, she remained largely unknown outside of a small circle of art lovers until a 20 exhibition at the tate modern in. Tate modern is exhibiting over 120 works of art from the experimental abstract visionary in a show that has been a long time coming. What was saloua raouda choucairs source of inspiration. Saloua raouda choucair began her painting career in the studios of mustafa farroukh 1935 and omar onsi 1942.
Saloua raouda choucair obituary art and design the. Choucair was one of the first painters and sculptors in lebanon to work with abstraction, and her. Crg gallery is delighted to present lebanese artist, saloua raouda choucair b. She has never had an exhibition here, still less shown any of her paintings, drawings or sculptures here or practically anywhere outside her native lebanon. While she has recently risen in acclaim in the international art world and market, her identity and practice were solidly grounded in her home. Its also a very important exhibition to witness for another reason. In the late lebanese artist saloua raouda choucairs poem sculptures, rows of blocks sit atop one another, each nestled into the next. The artist worked in diverse media including painting, drawing, architecture, textiles and jewellery, but she was best known for her abstract sculptures which often took the. Google doodle celebrates late lebanese painter and sculptor. Apr 03, 2017 saloua raouda choucair was born and raised in beirut in 1916 where she passed away on 26 january 2017. Feb 06, 2017 saloua raouda choucair was 97 when she was given a show at tate modern and it was her british debut. In the early 50s, she married yusif choucair, a journalist. Rather than being strictly geometrical, as is the case with infinite structure, the wooden forms have softer, more. Saloua raouda chouclair foundation self portrait 1943 by saloua raouda chouclair.
Choucair pronounced shoocare, who lived and worked nearly all her life in beirut, gained recognition outside lebanon as an unsung hero of. Choucair s daughter hala schoukair said, she was an avantgarde. Saloua raouda choucair, tate modern, london times higher. Was there a particular influence that brought her to this approach. Its configuration relates to that of infinite structure of the same date tate t262, but this piece is significantly smaller, as well as being carved in a different material. This project tells a story composed of various collected notes, written mainly while reading alhilal magazine an egyptian publication from the 1960s, thinking about the disciplined body, labor, and nationstate building through dance. The news was confirmed by sfeirsemler gallery in a social media post. Saloua raouda choucair tate modern, london until 20 october. The purpose of this show is not to right that wrong, she concludes, but to place her in her rightful position as a significant figure in the history of 20th century art. Saloua raouda choucair, born in 1916 in beirut, was the first abstract artist in lebanon, and her exhibition in 1947 at the arab cultural gallery in beirut is considered to have been the arab worlds first abstract painting display.
The worlds first major museum exhibition of the lebanese artist saloua raouda choucair is long overdue and can finally be seen at the tate modern. The beirutborn artist saloua raouda choucair, an important figure in abstract art who rose to prominence in 20 with a major show at tate modern in london, has died aged 100. Commune daily saloua raouda choucair metal art projects. The lebanese modernist has her first gallery show in the u. Saloua raouda choucair 19162017 artforum international. Saloua raouda choucair 1916 a lebanese painter and sculptor born in beirut, lebanon, saloua was the first abstract artist in lebanon though she sold nothing here until 1962. May 25, 20 the fact that the tate has recently acquired six works by her may also have something to do with it. In 1948 she left lebanon and went to paris, where she studied at the ecole nationale superieure des beauxarts and. Salouwa raouda choucair had a passion for drawing portraits since her early childhood days.
Art presented saloua raouda choucair with a hyperreality in which to explore universal structure, cosmic meaning, and the transformation of the self and society. When she was enrolled into the ahlia school in 1924, she designed a multitude of school posters and was known for producing caricatures of her teachers, some of which were published in the schools newspaper. Saloua raouda choucair, a modernist explored the new york times. Saloua raouda choucair obituary art and design the guardian. May 27, 20 saloua raouda choucair geometric east meets abstract expressionist west by delacybrown on may 27, 20 i hadnt heard of beirutborn artist saloua raouda choucair before i dropped in, unplanned, to a small retrospective of her work at tate modern yesterday. Saloua raouda choucair exhibition at tate modern tate. Saloua raouda choucair, born in 1916 in beirut, is a lebanese painter and sculptor. Between 1945 and 1947, she studied at aub philosophy. We take a look at her life and work ahead of her exhibition at tate modern.
Since childhood she has manifested the same interest for art that she has shown in science throughout her primary, secondary and university education. Maymanah farah writes in her essay saloua raouda choucair. First, the incessant process of search and questioning your role as an artist, a woman, a citizen of a particular country. The life and work of saloua raouda choucair saloua raouda choucair, born in 1916, pioneered abstract art in the middle east with her paintings, textiles and interlocking sculptures.
Saloua raouda choucair the metropolitan museum of art. Saloua raouda choucair, born in 1916, pioneered abstract art in the middle east with her paintings, textiles and interlocking sculptures. This monograph by art historian yasmine nachabe taan is dedicated to choucairs multifaceted life and work. The fact that the tate has recently acquired six works by her may also have something to do with it. So we might say that saloua raouda choucair, the artist, was an aub phenomenon. Saloua raouda choucair, early exponent of abstract arabian.
Saloua raouda choucairs composition with pebbles 1959. In customarily confident tate style, a garish orange banner bearing the. The lebanese artist saloua raouda choucair died on january 26 in beirut, at the age of 100. This sparkling exhibition gives new york its first indepth look at the wideranging activities of saloua raouda choucair, a pioneer of lebanese modernism who spent four years in. Apr 15, 20 adrian searle wonders if more retrospectives need to head for the overlooked margins of the art world. Like a fervent scientist or a fixated inventor, she kept copious, specific notes on each of her works, a wealth of documentation through which her daughter and head of the saloua raouda choucair foundation, hala schoukair, diligently sifts in an attempt to make sense of it all. May 23, 20 a lot has changed in 90 years even in abstract art, as the tate moderns saloua raouda choucair retrospective shows. Life as a water element ana dominguez beauty papers magazine motif management see more. Her outstanding works was remarkable in her era and continuously appreciated in this generation. Mar, 2017 reconsidering the work of a lebanese female artist who deserves a closer reading.
Indeed, it was the first major exhibition outside her native lebanon for choucair, who has died aged 100. One fine art artists sculptors saloua raouda choucair. Saloua raouda choucair is the undisputed doyenne of abstract art in the arab world, a pioneer who followed her artistic vision with passion and selfdetermination. She has never stopped making art despite the fact that her earliest success. Only in her 90s, and suffering from alzheimers disease, did choucair finally stop making art. She has never stopped making art despite the fact that her earliest. A visit to cairo in the 1940s inspired choucair born 1916 to draw on the abstract patterns in islamic art, earning her the title of lebanons first abstract artist.
Saloua raouda choucair aware archives of women artists. Painter and sculptor saloua raouda choucair, one of the first abstract artists working in lebanon and perhaps even the arab world, has died at the age of one hundred. Saloua raouda choucair, a modernist explored the new. She had a bright mindset for the future of science and art. Many feel saloua raouda choucair born beirut was the first abstract artist in lebanon. This introduction and commentary on saloua raouda choucair s article how the arab understood visual art translation by author in this issue sets the context in which a private rebuke choucair a. What was saloua raouda choucair s source of inspiration. Saloua raouda is a 97 years old lebanese artist, and this is her first retrospective in. Saloua raouda choucair from beirut to tate modern youtube. Saloua raouda choucair was born and raised in beirut in 1916 where she passed away on 26 january 2017.
Fascinated by sufi geometry and the concept of infinity, the lebanese painter and sculptor helped shape thinking about design processes and production, creating artworks that are both modern and arabic. This introduction and commentary on saloua raouda choucairs article how the arab understood visual art translation by author in this issue sets the context in which a private rebuke choucair addressed to a former colleague for his ethnocentric cultural criticism became a quasimanifesto for art and social modernism. The late saloua raouda choucair a pioneer of abstract. The life and work of saloua raouda choucair look closer tate. Reconsidering the work of a lebanese female artist who deserves a closer reading. This summer, a quiet rear wing of tate moderns fourth floor will be home to an exhibition showcasing the work of the lebanese artist saloua raouda choucair. At the age of 97, the lebanese artist saloua raouda choucair has received her first big exhibition at a major institution. Exhibition 17 april 20 october 20 hipster art historian alert.
Saloua raouda choucair artist, fine art prices, auction. Saloua raouda choucair an eye on the future, a feeling for the past. Apr 18, 20 saloua raouda choucair is on at tate modern from 17 th april until 20 th october 20, for further information visit here. Saloua raouda choucair is an extraordinary new name.
193 910 594 1590 1291 632 1360 903 1122 600 1593 287 544 589 329 281 1015 23 1559 1010 291 1102 150 777 309 563 1614 1088 415 567 997 1105 1131 741 777 1466 1381 880 700