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Lebanon celebrated the opening of the Saloua Raouda Choucair Museum, paying tribute to the pioneer of Arab abstract art. Nestled in a pine forest in Ras el-Metn, this artistic sanctuary offers an exceptional immersion into the universe of this visionary artist.
An hour’s drive from the bustling city of Beirut, the Saloua Raouda Choucair Museum opened its doors on June 24, 2024, a day that would have marked the 108th birthday of the painter and sculptor. A true jewel dedicated to one of the most influential figures of modern art in the Middle East, this institution reaffirms Beirut’s position as a cultural beacon of the Arab world.
The building’s sleek architecture, designed by Karim Bekdache, harmoniously blends into its natural setting, a preserved pine forest in Ras el-Metn. This symbiosis between art and nature echoes Choucair’s philosophy, who sought to establish a fruitful dialogue between her creations and their environment.
At the heart of this sanctuary, nearly 600 works reveal the full extent of the artist’s genius. While 500 of them are on display, the entire collection offers a comprehensive panorama of her prolific creativity. Paintings, sculptures, as well as furniture, rugs, ceramics, and jewelry, testify to Choucair’s conviction: art must infiltrate every corner of daily life.
The museum, designed as an open-air reserve, disrupts the codes of traditional museography. There is no hierarchy or imposed route: visitors are invited to wander freely among the works, weaving their own thread through the labyrinth of Choucair’s universe. The artist’s personal archives, also accessible, offer an intimate dive into her creative genesis and intellectual journey.
Saloua Raouda Choucair, born in 1916 in Beirut, embodies the Lebanese artistic avant-garde. Her work, spanning more than seven decades, laid the foundations of abstract art in the Levant. Trained at the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris during the post-war fervor, Choucair forged her unique style there, at the confluence of Western and Eastern aesthetics.
Her abstract art draws from the most diverse sources: the sacred geometry of Islam, Sufi poetry, natural sciences, mathematics… Choucair transformed these influences into an unprecedented visual language, combining the rigor of composition with a vibrant spirituality. Her modular sculptures, like visual strophes, embody this quest for essence and infinity.
The work of Saloua Raouda Choucair, exhibited in this new museum, testifies to an exceptional artistic journey that began long before the opening of this institution. Her artistic voyage took her to Paris in 1948, where she studied under Fernand Léger’s tutelage and participated in founding the Atelier de l’Art Abstrait. In 1951, she became one of the first Arab artists to exhibit at the prestigious Salon des Réalités Nouvelles, marking her entry into the international abstract art scene.
What distinguishes Choucair’s work is her unique ability to fuse Western abstraction with Islamic aesthetics. Fueled by her passions for science, architecture, mathematics, and Arabic poetry, she created a distinctive visual language that transcends cultural and temporal boundaries.
Her sculptures, often inspired by Sufi philosophy, explore the concepts of infinity and the interconnectedness of forms. The use of repetitive and modular shapes evokes infinity, symbolizing endless continuity and universal unity. Arabic poetry also played a crucial role in her work, providing inspiration for her complex visual compositions and exploration of themes of beauty and transcendence.
Choucair also integrated elements of Islamic craft traditions into her art, using geometric motifs and tessellation techniques. This blend of tradition and innovation enabled her to create a unique style, making her an essential figure in modern art.
By dedicating this museum to Saloua Raouda Choucair, Lebanon celebrates not only one of its iconic figures but also an entire generation of pioneering artists who shaped Arab artistic modernity. This museological consecration embodies a true act of transmission, bridging generations. Hala Schoukair, the artist’s daughter and president of the Saloua Raouda Choucair Foundation, expresses the hope that this place will inspire other institutions. She wishes for them to also engage in the valorization of Lebanese cultural heritage and contribute to rekindling the creative flame at the heart of the country.
Today, the works of Saloua Raouda Choucair are part of the permanent collections of the world’s greatest museums, testifying to her lasting impact on contemporary art.
Beyond the homage, this museum is a manifesto. It powerfully reaffirms the vitality of the Lebanese art scene, despite the turbulences of its recent history. It reminds us that Beirut, a crossroads of cultures and imaginations, remains a fertile ground for contemporary creation.
Crossing the threshold of this abstract art sanctuary, visitors enter a timeless space, where Saloua Raouda Choucair’s creative gesture perpetuates and reinvents itself infinitely. In the hushed silence of the Ras el-Metn pines, her work vibrates with timeless energy, like a call to embrace the ineffable beauty of the world.
The museum will be open by appointment only.
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www.salouaraoudachoucair.com
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