Modern and Contemporary Middle Eastern Art, Part II
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Shafic Abboud, also known as Chafic Abboud, was a renowned Lebanese painter whose artistic journey led him from Beirut to the vibrant art scene of Paris in 1947. Embracing the modernist and abstract movements of the mid 20th century, Abboud honed his skills at the ateliers of prominent artists like Jean Metzinger and Fernand Léger. This exposure influenced his transition from figurative and landscape painting to his signature colorful personal abstractions. Despite his years in France, Abboud remained deeply connected to his oriental roots, drawing inspiration from oral storytelling and Byzantine icons.
Abboud´s creativity extended to ceramics, terracotta, carpets, and lithography. His exceptional talent garnered global recognition, with exhibitions in prestigious venues like Doha's Mathaf and Paris's Institut du Monde Arabe. In May 2012, Beirut Exhibition Center celebrated his artistic legacy in a comprehensive exhibition.
Paul Guiragossian (Armenian Պոլ Կիրակոսյան) was a Lebanese artist of Armenian origin.
Paul Guiragossian is known as the author of many portraits and landscapes. He is also known for his paintings about the life and life of Armenians in migration.
Helen Khal was an American artist and critic of Lebanese descent. She started her painting career at the age of 21. She held her first individual exhibition in 1960 in Galerie Alecco Saab in Beirut. Her other one-woman shows took place at Galerie Trois Feuilles d'Or, Beirut (1965); Galerie Manoug, Beirut (1968); at the First National Bank, Allentown, Pennsylvania (1969); in Kaslik, Lebanon (1970); at the Contact Art Gallery, Beirut (1972, 1974 and 1975) and at the Bolivar Gallery in Kingston, Jamaica in 1975. Her work also appeared in the Biennales of Alexandria and São Paulo. She also taught art at the American University of Beirut from 1967 to 1976 and at the Lebanese American University from 1997 to 1980. She inspired many other artists. Helen Khal was also recognized as an author and critic. "From 1966 to 1974, Helen Khal was Art Critic to two Lebanese periodicals, The Daily Star and Monday Morning.
Y. Z. Kami, born Kamran Youssefzadeh is an Iranian-American artist based in New York City.
Kami's large-scale portraits, painted in oil on linen, recreate the visceral experience of a face-to-face encounter. Through a matte, uniform haze, he depicts his subjects with eyes open or closed, gazing forward or looking down. In this way, drawing inspiration from a wide range of philosophical, literary, and religious texts, Kami continues the art historical quest to locate the unknown within material form. He explores these themes not only in his paintings, but also in photographs, collage works, editioned prints, and site-specific, sculptural installations. It was his large-scale portraits that first gained him acclaim from the international art world, leading to receptions of his artworks in various important museum exhibitions and biennials.
