From June 20 to June 30 2024, Arthaus Beirut hosts an exceptional exhibition organized by Artists of Beirut. This happening celebrates diversity and female talent in the Lebanese artistic world.
Arthaus Beirut in Gemmayze hosts the remarkable ‘Expressions of Diversity’ exhibition. Organized by Artists of Beirut, this event features works by 13 female artists from the initiative’s fifth season, along with special guest creations.
This exhibition is a celebration of diversity through art, showcasing over 60 works that range from traditional painting and sculpture to modern photography and upcycling. The selection of works promises an immersion into diverse perspectives and techniques, offering a fresh look at the possibilities of artistic expression.
The program will include enriching cultural and artistic activities. On June 24, a drawing initiation workshop will be led by Maral Maniss. On June 26, a book signing session with Michele Sayegh Naja will captivate literature and art enthusiasts. On June 28, an art therapy workshop led by Sarah Lecuyer aims to offer participants a deep dive into self-exploration.
Michèle Sayegh Naja shares her vision of diversity through a creative reinterpretation of Baudelaire’s poems, exploring the profound dualities in women’s roles: “Diversity is conjugated in the feminine, where a woman is inevitably subjectivity. It is in this context that Baudelaire wrote: ‘A woman is the being who casts the greatest shadow or the greatest light in our dreams.’ My paintings then aim to tell these different facets of women, both ‘spleen’ and ‘Ideal’.”
Tamar Hadechian explores earthenware’s dynamic properties, its ability to form intricate shapes and vivid colors that provoke both a visceral and visual response: “Earthenware is an ideally receptive material for exploration. We do not need time to heal, we just need to switch the channel to another simulation of ourselves. It is at the heart of creation that my connection was made after exile. Art tells the story. It brings it back to life. And this exhibition has a dual symbol of diversity: the unique opportunity to exhibit as a mother-daughter duo, a supreme symbol of an amalgam of diversity in proximity, and to do it on Lebanese soil, embodying the complex mix of emotions during a period of openness and transition.”
Sarah Lecuyer, passionate about surrealism and art therapy, shares her creative process: “My art blends surrealism and art therapy. I use my emotions and my subconscious to create, employing various supports and mediums to express myself. This results in a very particular universe. This exhibition at Artist of Beirut is an opportunity for me to display several works at the magnificent Arthaus hotel with a recognized team. I am very pleased as a French resident to integrate a bit more into Lebanon thanks to this exhibition.”
Mélissa Chalhoub also expresses her artistic approach: “I believe that an artist’s role is to reflect society and I try in my work to show as much as I can the essence of humanity, our interactions, and how we can build and sometimes destroy each other. I am happy to have the opportunity to showcase my work at Artists of Beirut, with an array of great female artists and all for a good cause.”
This show, while celebrating diversity and female artistic expression, will also support the restoration of Beirut’s heritage, with part of the proceeds going to the Sursock Palace Association.
The Artists of Beirut initiative, launched in September 2020 by Carole Ayoub and Yara Jahchan, continues to make its mark on the Lebanese cultural space by highlighting female voices in art and contributing to a broader discussion on the role of art in contemporary society.
