Maraya Art Centre and Barjeel Art Foundation are pleased to present Nadia Saikali and Her Contemporaries—an exhibition of works drawn from the collection of the Barjeel Art Foundation, Sharjah. Curated by Suheyla Takesh and Rémi Homs, with research assistance by Haya Firas, the exhibition honours Nadia Saikali’s artistic legacy while underscoring Beirut’s role as a vital centre for regional artistic dialogue.

Nadia Saikali was born in Beirut in 1936. A trailblazer in the realm of abstract art, her innovative use of materials and distinctive approach to colour have left an indelible mark on Lebanon’s artistic landscape. Drawing inspiration from a wide range of sources, including astronomy, geology, philosophy, spirituality and the natural world, her practice stands as a testament of versatility and open-ended experimentation, firmly establishing her as a prominent figure in the evolution of abstract art in the region.

While Saikali’s work—characterised by its dynamic interplay of form, light and hue—is at the heart of the exhibition, the display also celebrates the broader context of abstract art by women practitioners in Beirut during the 1960s and 1970s. Saikali’s visionary approach to abstraction is presented alongside the work of notable contemporaries, including artists like Saloua Raouda Choucair, Huguette Caland, Etel Adnan and Helen Khal. The exhibition further extends its scope to include the work of artists like Munira Al-Kazi from Kuwait, Madiha Umar from Iraq, Mona Saudi from Jordan, Asma Fayoumi from Syria, Maliheh Afnan from Palestine, and others whose contributions from outside Lebanon highlight the position of Beirut as a regional hub for artistic exchange and innovation. Here, Beirut seems to emerge as a vibrant epicentre for abstract painting and sculpture, attracting artists from across the Arab world.