Art From Lebanon: Modern and Contemporary Artists 1880 - 1975 Volume I

Art from Lebanon is a tribute to our country. The project consists in both an exhibition and a book that document lives and significant works of 60 selected Lebanese artists, active starting 1880 to 1975. Initiated by Nour Salamé Abillama, Art from Lebanon is a journey through Lebanon’s history and heritage. It unveils to the public Lebanon’s many political, social, and cultural vicissitudes, but also the constructive changes and evolutions, that marked and shaped the country as we know it today. In the currentabsence of a national museum of Modern art, the Beirut Exhibition Center is proud to present Art from Lebanon, an exhibition fulfilling a mission of civil and national duty, giving access to treasures of private and public collections, many of which were never shown before. The 60 artists mirror Lebanon’s diversity, in their life stories and identities, and above all in their artistic projects.
They tackle various themes and styles, from classical landscapes and still lives to more daring nudes, from academicism to abstraction, from the emancipation of women to Man’s destiny in times of war, from traditional religious art to personal expressions. The period from 1880 to 1975 also covers the institutionalization of the arts, with the appearance of artists’ studios, the professionalization of painting and sculpture, and the creation of art schools and universities. Art from Lebanon thus narrates the story of modern and contemporary art in Lebanon and presents to the public the marvels of this country. The book on which the exhibition is based was authored by Nour Salamé Abillama and Marie Tomb. The exhibition is organized by Nour Salamé Abillama and Solidere, and curated by Nadine Begdache and Saleh Barakat, with a scenography by Karim Bekdache.