As we come to the end of 2024, we look back on the distinguished lives and careers of Arab visual artists who passed away this year, leaving behind a legacy of creativity and experimentation.
From Gulf and Levant artists who defended the Palestinian cause to experimenting with abstraction, here are the stories of eight regional artists we lost in 2024.
Hussein Madi (1938 – 2024)
A renowned modernist of the Lebanese art scene, Hussein Madi was known for his bold, sensual and playful portrayal of subjects, from women to birds and geometrical shapes.
Nicknamed the ‘Lebanese Picasso,’ Hussein Madi tried his hand at painting, printmaking, and sculpture, and supported himself early on his career by drawing caricatures for newspapers in the Arab world.
His work can be found in art institutions and museums around the world, including the Institut du Monde Arabe (Paris), the British Museum (London), and the Barjeel Art Foundation (Sharjah).
The Dubai-based, Palestinian gallerist Maliha Tabari, founder of Tabari Artspace, shared her thoughts on the late artist, who “opened her eyes to the art of the region in a real way” when she started her career nearly two decades ago.
“I honestly miss Madi. He was like a father figure to me. I met him in 2003 and spent a lot of time with him in his studio. He was the first artist I signed from Lebanon,” she said.
Safeya Binzagr (1940 – 2024)
Affectionately known as “the mother of Saudi art,” Safeya Binzagr devoted her life to making art and ensuring that young Saudis have access to art education through her initiative, the Darat Safeya Binzagr Cultural Centre, in Jeddah, where the artist lived.
Through Safeya’s artistry in painting, the Cairo and London-educated artist portrayed varied architectural and cultural landscapes of her homeland on canvas, acting as a form of documentation.
A former pupil at Safeya’s centre is the Jeddah-based contemporary artist Filwa Nazer, who described Safeya Binzagr as a “pioneer.”
“As long as I can remember, we had Safeya Binzagr’s book in my family’s house, and that was significant to me as a young girl to know there were successful Saudi women artists. I still have that book today in my library,” Filwa added.
Buthayna Ali (1974 – 2024)
Hailing from Syria, the multidisciplinary artist and University of Damascus professor Buthayna Ali started her artistic career in painting but later expanded her practice to immersive and large-scale installation art.
By using everyday objects, be it slingshots or children’s swings, Buthayna tapped into the socio-political concerns of the Arab region. She remained in Syria when the 2011 war broke out, causing her to stop working on her practice.
One of Buthayna’s collaborators, Shireen Atassi, the director of the Syrian art-focused association Atassi Foundation, said of the late artist: “What can one say about Buthayna? She was deeply loved by everyone, especially by her students. She always encouraged them and gave them space for creative freedom. As an artist, painting was not enough for her. She used everything and anything in her artistic production. She wanted to break free from conventional mediums.”
Fathi Ghaben (1947 – 2024)
Born in the Gaza Strip just one year before the 1948 Nakba, Fathi Ghaben would become one of Palestine’s prolific painters.
He produced symbolic images of Palestinian women, folk life, and resistance, frequently printed on widely distributed postcards and posters.
Among those who grew up with Fathi’s imagery is the contemporary Palestinian artist Mohammed Al-Hawajri who described Fathi as humble and encouraging towards the young generation of Palestinian artists.
“He treated them like his children,” said Mohammed, who first met the artist in the 1990s. “We were always trying to learn from his expertise. I remember one time, my friends and I asked if we could visit his studio at home and he immediately agreed. Everyone was happy with the visit.”
Unfortunately, during the Israeli bombardment on Gaza, beginning in October 2023, Fathi, who suffered from respiratory issues, was denied access to medical treatment, blocked by the Israelis.
Waddah Faris (1940 – 2024)
Waddah Faris was a man of many talents. Born in Aleppo to Syrian and Iraqi parents, Waddah established his career in bustling Beirut, where he was a photographer, graphic designer, and gallerist.
Building an invaluable archive of photographs, he shot personal portraits (predominantly in black-and-white) of leading Lebanese visual artists of the 1970s, such as Helen Khal, Aref el Rayess, and Huguette Caland, as well as other fellow influential Arabs, including Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish.
Always armed with his camera, Waddah travelled everywhere, photographing the streets of Paris, the geometric doors of Morocco, and stage actors in Baalbek.
His son, Teymur, who is managing his father’s estate said: “Waddah was a man who lived a thousand lives in just one lifetime, but there was always a common denominator in everything he did. He believed in the power of art to express what words can’t, to build bridges instead of tearing them down; and he especially believed in the art of the Levant and beyond – his land. It’s been a really tough year since his passing in January but our family keeps working hard to keep his work and his legacy alive.”
Samia Osseiran Junblatt (1944 – 2024)
Born in 1940s Lebanon, Samia Osseiran Junblatt led a cosmopolitan life, where she studied art in Beirut, Florence, and Tokyo.
In the 1970s, she settled in her birthplace of Sidon (Saida), where she established a still-functioning arts association, Society Artaizhana, encouraging the practice of female artists.
As for her own abstract, nature-inspired art, they contain elements of spirituality, serenity, and surrealism. A forgotten name in the realm of Arab art, she has been making something of a comeback, since her work was recently featured at the 2024 edition of the Venice Biennale and displayed in the Gulf region.
Yvette Achkar (1928 – 2024)
Another departed Lebanese artist is Yvette Achkar, who was born in Brazil but was ultimately raised in Lebanon, where her parents came from.
Originally wishing to become a piano musician, Yvette pursued visual art instead, studying it in Lebanon and France. She has produced striking and colourful compositions of abstract expressionism with a touch of an evocative element.
Her works, characterised by vastness and lyrical mystery, have been collected by the likes of the Dalloul Art Foundation (Beirut), Barjeel Art Foundation (Sharjah), and Sursock Museum (Beirut).
Helmi El Touni (1934 – 2024)
The Egyptian artist Helmi El Touni, who passed away at the age of 90, led a remarkable and eventful career.
Helmi was inspired by his Egyptian heritage, creating animated artworks he would become known for, that celebrated his roots.
An advocate of the Palestinian cause, the artist also produced numerous political posters that called for the liberation of Palestine and the release of Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons.
In a post on Instagram, El Touni’s representative, TAM Gallery in Cairo, published a statement of his humane character: “Throughout his life, Helmi El Touni remained a steadfast advocate for the arts, tirelessly working to promote cultural appreciation and understanding. He believed that art is a universal language, capable of bridging divides and fostering harmony among diverse communities.”
Rawaa Talass is a freelance journalist focusing on art and culture emerging from the Middle East. Her work has been published in Art Dubai, Arab News, Al Arabiya English, Artsy, The Art Newspaper, Kayhan Life, Dubai Collection, and The National
Follow her on X: @byrawaatalass
