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.
Artistic Patronage and commissioned works: Dr. Basel Dalloul carries on a legacy of kinship with influential work
Could you provide insights into the commissioned works or projects initiated by Dr. Ramzi Dalloul involving Samia Halaby’s art?
The collaboration between my father and Samia Halaby emerged from a profound friendship rooted in their shared admiration for art and cultural exchange. While the specifics of their initial connection are best articulated by Samia herself, Dr. Ramzi’s patronage encompassed several significant commissions, starting with Lemon Tree, 2011. This collaborative journey continued with impactful pieces like Rebirth of Palestine, 2014, and Jerusalem My Home, 2014, each reflecting a thematic resonance with his cultural and artistic sensibilities. Halaby’s generous gesture in gifting my father the poignant Homage to Ghassan Kanafani, 2017 underscores the importance of their relationship.
How did these collaborations unfold, and what significance do they hold within the broader scope of the Dalloul Art Foundation’s mission?
167.5 x 167.5 cm. DAF Beirut.
My father’s engagements with Samia took place against a backdrop of increasing recognition for her work. Their collaboration burgeoned while she was associated with Ayyam Gallery, coinciding with her rising prominence, as seen in celebrated exhibitions at the Beirut Exhibition Centre. Despite the challenges stemming from her forthright expression of her Palestinian identity—including the unfortunate cancellation of her exhibition last January at Indiana University, which paradoxically amplified her voice—her work deeply aligns with the Dalloul Art Foundation’s goal to promote artistic excellence and cultural dialogue.
Could you discuss the curatorial process behind showcasing Samia Halaby’s work within the Dalloul Art Foundation?
Samia Halaby occupies a pivotal position within the Dalloul Art Foundation’s curatorial endeavours, owing to her stature as a masterful artist with a distinguished legacy. Her works are featured in prestigious institutions across the United States, including the Guggenheim Museum, underscoring her reputation in the art world. She has also shared her expertise as an educator at prominent institutions like Yale University and Indiana University. Her pursuit of artistic excellence is also exemplified by her meticulous practice of personally formulating pigments. In my view, she ranks among the top ten artists in the region. The curatorial process for including her in our exhibitions focuses on thematic consistency and historical relevance. Samia is always a key highlight in our collection displays.
How do you perceive Samia Halaby’s work in the context of contemporary Arab art movements?
Samia Halaby exhibits notable artistic epochs, particularly during the entirety of the 1960s extending into the mid-1970s, which I consider to be among her most favoured periods. Renowned for her mastery in manipulating light and creating optical illusions, she employs principles of mathematics, geometry, and physics to strategically position elements within her compositions and discern the sources of illumination. Her artistic repertoire encompasses techniques that are distinctly innovative, exemplified by her adept use of paint to simulate the appearance of steel, a technique rarely replicated by other artists.
Jerusalem, My Home, 2014, presents an ode to Samia Halaby’s birthplace – a symbolic representation of the Dome of the Rock. Its silhouette is ablaze with the spiritual illumination of golden and ochre hues, reminiscent of the sun’s power and the revered stone structures of the ancient city. Halaby creates a mosaic- much like that found adorning the walls of the dome in Jerusalem- that pulsates against a hopeful blue sky, suggesting an imposing, illuminating presence. This artwork captures the enduring connection to a place deeply rooted in memory and identity. Halaby’s work is a poetic synthesis of emotive colour and form, revealing the resilience and beauty of Jerusalem in the artist’s heart.
White Cross, 1969, and Black Cross, 1969, are executed with supreme precision, both featuring a duet of vertical and horizontal cylinders intersecting at the center of the painting. They dominate the surface of a 46 x 46cm square canvas. While the white cross is painted white, the black cross is toned in dark bronze and set against a mystic blue background. Iconic and shimmering as they seem, they insinuate to the Christian cross.
Rebirth of Palestine, 2014, captures a vibrant, lively abstraction depicting huge dot-like patches spread along its larger-than-life horizontal surface. Halaby applies stippled brushstrokes that coalesce into an energetic, almost pulsating field of colour. They range from yellow-green, pale, and navy blue to orange-red from right to left and disperse like particles in a scattering sky when the colour of the atmosphere changes towards sunset or at sunrise. As an Arab native, Halaby registers the sun’s ‘rise and fall’ from right to left like the Arabic language is written and read. As a visual metaphor, Halaby hints at the rise of Palestine following its fall – or more precisely, its ‘rebirth.’ Her work resonates with the repetitive patches in impressionistic paintings and the colourful gardens of Giverny painted by the leader of the movement, Claude Monet, whom Halaby cherishes and is inspired by.
Untitled, 1960, is an oil on canvas painting, that captures Halaby’s fascination with the reflection of light on objects and its exposure across space. The ‘Mobius strip’ or helical metal band-like object gracefully traverses between the lower and upper part of the square canvas, casting reflections of light and shadows within itself while the subtle use of well-valued and toned white and grey hues imbue the element with an authentic, reflective stainless-steel metal quality. Along the surface of the painting, the spiral lines create the illusion of movement as they change between precision at their points of separation and murkiness at their points of merger. Soft white-yellowish touches of paint illuminate the brightest part to accentuate the reflection of light. The shimmer of the metallic sheen is emphasized by applying a greyish-pink colour that is gradually subdued by a soft blue and blended into the slopes of the cascading object. The brightness of the top part is brought into focus through the darker blues and grayish tones in the lower section. As a study of form and light, Halaby’s application emphasises the conversation between the two. The painting’s composition clarifies the effect that early modern movements, particularly Bauhaus, Russian Constructivism, and American Abstract Expressionism, had on her understanding of material, shape, and colour.