Leila Heller Gallery presents “…I Kept The Night Vigil…”: Exploring Women’s Voices Across and Beyond the Middle East, a group exhibition curated by Behrang Samadzadegan. Running through 4 November 2024, it celebrates the work of female artists from and within the Middle East, amplifying the enduring power of women’s voices in a region rich in cultural heritage and contemporary challenges.
Women in the Middle East have historically played key roles in preserving and transmitting knowledge, art, and culture. Thematically, the exhibition draws on the concept of night vigil, symbolising both reflection and vigilance. It highlights the dual role that women often assume: as custodians of tradition and as drivers of change.
The show’s title takes inspiration from the poetry of al-Khansa, a 7th-century tribeswomen and one of the most influential poets of pre-Islamic and early Islamic periods. Known for her profound expressions of grief and resilience, al-Khansa’s work bridges personal and collective experiences, serving as a timeless framework for understanding the voices of contemporary female artists.
Featuring the art pieces of 20 female artists, the exhibition offers a diverse array of perspectives. Each artist employs different mediums to delve into themes such as women’s issues, war, memory, and the world of nature, blending personal experiences with broader social and political commentary.
The exhibiting artists include Azza Al Qubaisi, an Emirati jewellery artist, designer, and sculptor who is inspired by her cultural heritage. She is renowned for working with metal and natural materials (wood, rubber tyres, palm trees, etc). Meanwhile, Zeinab Alhashemi, a conceptual artist specialising in large-scale site-specific installations, explores the intersection between the natural and man-made, drawing inspiration from Dubai’s unique geography.
Parinaz Eleish, an Iranian painter, jeweller, and poet whose works are also on view, infuses her art with the memories of her childhood spent in gardens. Dubai-based Portuguese artist and architect Ana D’Castro creates abstract works based on mathematical principles of proportion, scale, and colour.
Among the exhibits are works by Turkish ceramic artist Melis Buyruk, who blends botanical patterns and elements of the animal kingdom in her surreal creations, and American artist and filmmaker Maxi Cohen. Fascinated with water, Cohen has been filming and photographing rivers, oceans, springs, and waterfalls all around the world for the last 25 years.
Visitors can also have a look at pieces created by Lebanese artist Katya Traboulsi, Armenian-Syrian artist Stephany Sanossian, artist and designer Areen Hassan, Shideh Fatemi, and Shan Castellino. On display are also works by such Iranian artists as Shirin Neshat, Farideh Lashai, Maryam Lamei, painter and designer Pariyoush Ganji, Soraya Sharghi, Naeemeh Kazemi, and Azita Panahpour. The exhibition also features works by Iranian-American artists Nikki Zarrabi and Shiva Ahmadi, offering an enriching view of female creativity and resilience across cultures and mediums.
To get more information about “…I Kept The Night Vigil…”, please visit the show’s official web page.
In addition, you might be interested in visiting Abol Atighetchi’s solo exhibition, which is currently on view at Oblong Contemporary Gallery.
