WOMEN ARTISTS

The visionary female artists of the Arab world.

By Maximillien de Lafayette

The Middle East gave to the world an avalanche of remarkable women artists who produced exquisite abstract, modern, figurative, illustrative and futuristic artworks. The list of distinguished artists is endless. Among the most illustrious female artists of the Middle and Near East are those who are studied and listed on these pages. A considerable number of Arab women have already made their mark on the international scene of contemporary art. Many of them became wealthy and famous, for they have cultivated efficient rapports and contacts with the West. Arab female artists who never left the Arab homeland succeeded in their career within a limited geographical perimeter. The quality of their work rival the beauty and excellence of the work of their compatriots who managed to exhibit their paintings in the United States and Europe. Although,  modern Arab societies provided Middle and Near Eastern women artists with autonomy and ample opportunities to exhibit their work, the socio-cultural traditions refrained them from expanding their career as a "legitimate and serious" profession. A considerable number of the Middle Eastern female artists studied on the hands of well-known European artists in ateliers and academies  dispersed in the major cities and capitals of Europe. The influence of the European culture and contemporary artistic schools is evident in the choice of their themes, constructional compositions and concepts. Arab female artists who remained confined to a restrained geographical conditions, attended local art schools and academies and managed in developing their talents and style in virtue of personal quest, guided training by teachers who have previously studied in Berlin, Paris, and Rome. Their work differ from the work of their compatriots who expanded their horizon  to Europe at many levels. Frequently, Islamic ambiance, mixed European-Arabic themes and selections of Middle Eastern lyrical tones dominate their paintings. Many of them incorporated in their work, Arabic calligraphy, Islamic motifs and arabesque illustrations. In that context, they differ from the Arab female artists who almost relinquished the Arab heritage to adopt or develop an artistic directive imbibed with European cache and flair.

The socio-psychological conditions surrounding Arab female artists condition their  esthetic concept and artistic visualization. Traditionally and socially, abstract art "surfaced" in Islamic social and professional environments and milieux as an ultra-modern "taste" and indication of a developed European flair. The majority of those devoted female artists were not directly exposed to European abstract culture for obvious reasons. In addition, embracing the profession  of a painter was not considered "serious business". Astonishingly enough,  a considerable number of Arab artists who opened studios and or exhibited their paintings abroad  became famous and wealthy. Some of their works are exhibited with pride in major museums in London and throughout the United States. The direct rapport and inter-action with the modern Western society deeply influenced the psyche and persona of Arab female artists. Consequently, their art metamorphosed in various directions, blending in perfect harmony, the Middle Eastern roots and the Western innovative artistic visions. I took the liberty in listing herewith some of the most well-recognized Arab female artists who highly contributed to the development of contemporary abstract Arab art.

1- GHADA JAMAL

 A Lebanese artist. She received a bachelor's degree in art from Beirut University College in 1984 and a master's degree in fine arts from California State University. The paramount focus of her work is on the Lebanese civil war. She has received several awards for her art and her work is in a number of private collections internationally. Her bio includes the following:

Solo exhibitions: Mystic Expressions, Beirut University College, Beirut, Lebanon, 1985; and Lebanese Landscapes, California State University, Long Beach, California, 1990.

Group exhibitions: Autumn Salon, Sursock Museum, Beirut, Lebanon, 1986; Long Beach Art Exhibition, Printworks Gallery, Long Beach, California, 1990; Angel's Gate Cultural Center Members Exhibition, San Pedro, California, 1991; World News, Muckenthaler Cultural Center, Fullerton, California, 1992; Beyond Baroque, Venice, California, 1992; The Onyx, Los Angeles, California, 1992; LA Abstract Artists: Works on Paper, Gallery X, Exeter, England, 1992;   and Forces of Change: Artists of the Arab World, The National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington,   DC, 1994.

 

 

Painting  City on Fire, Ghada Jamal