Knowledge and the PublicSphere  Read More

In English, Free Admission

The academies of art in Paris and London - founded in the 17th and 18th centuries - and their annual salons soon became the most powerful institutions in the European art world of the time, patronizing art and directing public taste. Only in the 19th century did artists begin to oppose the monopoly of the academy, creating new exhibition forums or independent salons.

In the Arab region, several official and unofficial salons sprung up in the 20th century, becoming an important feature in the cultural lives of cities such as Cairo, Tunis and Beirut. The Salon was also a point of contention for artists, with some rejecting it all together and establishing formats counter to that of the official Salon.

Join us at the Sursock Museum for presentations and a panel discussion on the history and influence of Art Salons in the region including the Sursock Museum's long running Salon d'Atuomne. Speakers are Monique Bellan (OIB), Jessica Gerschultz (University of Kansas), and Nadia von Maltzahn (OIB). Moderated by Kirsten Scheid (AUB).

Monique Bellan's presentation looks at the resistance to the art salon focusing on the historical avant-garde in Egypt - more precisely the Surrealist group Art et Liberté founded in Cairo in 1938 - and its position toward academic art and exhibition practices.

Jessica Gerschultz will examine the foundational role played by the Salon Tunisien in the development of artistic categories and networks amongst Tunis-based artists.

Nadia von Maltzahn will explore the role of the Sursock Museum's Salon d'Automne in patronizing art by looking at the selection process, the artists, and the public. The aim is to understand the evolving role of the salon in shaping the artistic landscape in Lebanon from its inception until today.