This article appeared in Being Samia Halaby Issue #68 dedicated to spotlighting the journey of Samia Halaby, a Palestinian-American artist whose resilience shines through despite challenges like the cancellation of a significant exhibition at Indiana University. Halaby’s remarkable year, marked by global exhibitions and well-deserved acclaim, underscores her ability to transcend borders with art that prompts reflection on themes of identity, belonging, and social justice, serving as a bridge across cultural divides.
In the underbelly of the contemporary art world, emerging Arab artists navigate a landscape marked by both optimism and challenge. Historically, artistic movements have been dominated first by European and then American artists. Amidst this emerging, dynamic group of Arab talent, Samia Halaby has forged a path of innovation, supported by a handful of visionary supporters. The protagonists in her journey include patrons of her art, but more importantly, the gallerists and collectors who believed in her.
Halaby’s trajectory has been profoundly shaped by the steadfast guidance of the founders of Ayyam Gallery and Sfeir-Semler Gallery. Through their mentorship and belief in her vision, she has transcended barriers, expanding her artistic horizons onto a global stage and opening new channels for her work, and Arab art in general.
Yet, Halaby’s ambitions extend beyond personal success. With a deep-rooted connection to her Palestinian heritage and a continued pursuit of justice, she established the Samia A. Halaby Foundation, a platform dedicated to amplifying the voices of Palestinians and benefiting working-class Palestinian children and women living within the borders of Mandate Palestine (1920-1948) and also within other Arab countries.
As her story continues to unfold, Halaby’s journey exemplifies what can be achieved with the collaborative efforts of skilled and determined backers. The following is a collection of commentary from those who have been ringside, and a word from a foundation that exemplifies the power of art as a catalyst for social change and empowerment.
Ayyam Gallery: The Game-Changer in a Career Faced with Obstacles
How did Ayyam Gallery end up representing Samia Halaby, and how did you align your visions?
It was in the very early days of the gallery, Samia had travelled to Amman from New York. She had heard of Ayyam and came to Damascus to visit us. We were not familiar with her work and my father, who oversaw the gallery at the time, was unsure what to do with this surprise visitor. But after perusing the book she left us; we were instantly in love. We invited her back to the gallery and spent time with her in our home, and the rest is history. As a gallery, we don’t interfere with our artists’ visions, we usually sign artists who have an aesthetic and conceptual direction we already believe in. Our role is to place and market their work properly. Our goal is to push artists from the greater Arab world and the diaspora onto the global stage, and I think we have helped our roster of artists achieve that over the last 18 years.
In your experience, what unique qualities does Samia bring to her artwork that sets her apart in the contemporary art landscape?
Samia has always walked a contradictory path of being an outsider on one end, and a trailblazer on the other. Her circumstances in life, of having left her homeland of Palestine and then studying art in the US, and her focus on abstract art as a female artist at a time when her peers were mostly male, have made it so that her work has always needed to push boundaries to see the light of the day. Essentially, her roots, her activism, and her exploration of new methods of representation have been central to her oeuvre. I believe the mix of all these elements has resulted in a very genuine, unique approach that has pushed the frontier of Abstract Expressionism and Abstract art as a liberal art movement.
Considering the cultural diversity of the Gulf and the Middle East, how does Ayyam Gallery facilitate dialogue and exchange between Samia Halaby’s vision and the regional context?
Samia’s Palestinian roots have always been an integral part of who she is and her work. As a gallery, we have supported everything that she stands for. Beyond the numerous exhibitions we have held of her work across the region, we have hosted non-profit shows of her Kafr Qasem body of work in our spaces, a series that presents a different side of her practice and delves into her activism. It depicts a painful, largely undocumented historical event. We have also helped her publish books to reach a greater audience in this part of the world, and beyond. Ultimately, Samia’s journey of starting as a refugee to receiving the highest accolades within the art world, and from educational institutions, while remaining an avid activist is inspiring for any Arab.
If you could choose a work or a theme from Samia to discuss, which one would it be and why?
Samia once gifted me one of her journals. I had been working with her for years but had never seen one of them before. I am fascinated by artist journals; I think they are one of the most intimate mediums that an artist can use to share a special glimpse into their private world. In them were sketches she would make whenever she had time and was on the go, and they depicted different places she would have seen. I was fascinated that those places were abstracted in her sketches, and it hit me that she sees the world beyond what we can collectively see. She sees the world around her in these abstract forms, shapes, and colours.
About Ayyam Gallery
Ayyam Gallery has established itself as a leading arts organisation in the Middle East, with a series of collaborative projects across the United States, Europe, Africa and Asia, a multinational non-profit arts programme, and a multilingual publishing division. When Samia Halaby boldly walked into Ayyam’s original Damascus location shortly after it opened in 2006 to introduce her work, a partnership was sparked. One of the first art galleries to open their doors in Dubai’s Alserkal Avenue in 2007, its mission includes playing an active role in documenting under-represented facets of global art history, and expanding the parameters of international art. They have been instrumental in expanding Samia Halaby’s footprint across the globe. EAD Samawi recounts the making of a longstanding relationship with the artist.
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