A Parisian Weekend Celebrating Women’s Art from the MENA Region
- By Asma Abdelkarim (LDN Special)
From September 20 to 22, 2024, Paris hosted the 5th edition of Menart Fair, which exclusively focused on showcasing the work of women artists from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa). This edition explored the legacy of pioneering women while highlighting both established and emerging artists. The event aimed to immerse visitors in the often-overlooked MENA art scene, featuring works by over 100 women artists represented by 30 galleries spanning countries such as Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, and Qatar.
The Parisian event attracted hundreds of visitors to the “Galerie Joseph,” located in the heart of the Marais district, which once housed the Pierre Cardin Museum. The atmosphere was festive and warm, curated by Laure d’Hauteville, who was supported by a dynamic team of young individuals committed to promoting art from the MENA region, opening the doors of the Parisian art scene for both established and emerging women artists.
Menart Fair also featured exclusive performances, including Lebanese drag queens Diva and Andrea, along with a musical performance, video programming, panel discussions, and meetings with museums and institutions from the MENA region. Off-site visits to venues like the IMA (Institut du Monde Arabe) and the prestigious Bonhams-Cornette de Saint-Cyr auction house enriched this unique artistic experience.
One of the standout events was the panel discussion titled "Gender Parity in the Barjeel Collection, Five Years Later," led by Wadha Al Aqeedi and featuring Sultan Al Sooud Al Qassemi, the founder of the Emirati Barjeel Foundation. Al Qassemi expressed his commitment to including a significant number of women artists in the Barjeel Foundation, noting that women artists have historically been underrepresented and undervalued. A now-prominent art collector, Al Qassemi is determined to shine a light on artists from the MENA region, lamenting the resistance he faced from museums and collectors in acquiring and showcasing works by women artists.
During his pursuit, he discovered that many women artists from the MENA region remained unknown and unlisted. Many lived and passed away without ever gaining recognition. Undeterred by these challenges, Al Qassemi set a goal to have 50% of the Barjeel collection represented by women artists. By 2024, he proudly stated that 58% of the collection consisted of women artists—a remarkable achievement.
His efforts did not stop there. He embarked on a mission to uncover overlooked women artists, such as Lydia Ata, born in 1915 in Bethlehem and who passed away in Zahlé in 2009. He managed to acquire some of her works through her heirs, though no photographs of her exist.
He also delved into the archives of the Janine Rubeiz Gallery in Beirut, where he unearthed valuable documents on Moazzaz Rawdah, an avant-garde artist born in Baghdad in 1906 and who died in Beirut in 1986.
Al Qassemi admitted to being surprised at how far back his search for contemporary MENA women artists took him. The persistent work of the Barjeel Foundation over the years has paid off, with the foundation now documenting no fewer than 113 women artists, and according to Al Qassemi, this number will continue to grow in the coming years. He also encourages young people to engage in this journey.
The debate was brilliantly moderated by Wadha Al Aqeedi, a young Qatari gallerist who recently launched Wusum Gallery in Doha. This new initiative also highlights women, and to her pleasant surprise, Wadha has so far exclusively exhibited women artists, even though her gallery is open to all.
Without a doubt, the future of women artists in the MENA region faces ongoing sociocultural challenges. However, more and more women like Wadha Al Aqeedi are making their mark on the local art scenes in their respective countries, tackling themes such as identity, women’s rights, and political issues. Initiatives like the Barjeel Art Foundation and international exhibitions like Menart Fair provide platforms that allow these artists to gain much-needed visibility and recognition on a global scale. Although obstacles such as unequal access to resources and opportunities remain, the future could bring greater acknowledgment of MENA women artists, provided continuous efforts are made to promote their work and dismantle the barriers hindering their full potential.
