Until September 24, 2023, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) is hosting “Women Defining Women in Contemporary Art of the Middle East and Beyond“, a sensational exhibition of 75 works of art by contemporary women artists from or living in Islamic societies. This art exhibition represents a communicative showcase through which these female artists each unveil their singular vision of things, reshaping their self-definition as well as the still persistent stereotypes about women’s freedoms in this religious sphere.
Created by 42 contemporary female artists and presented in a variety of media, most of the works in the exhibition already belong to the LACMA art collection. New works have also been added, including one specially commissioned by Rania Matar from actress Iman Vellani, who plays Kamala Khan in the Disney+ mini-series Ms. Khan.
Curator and Head of Department, Middle Eastern Art, LACMA, Linda Komaroff says: “All the works in Women Defining Women are by women artists, and all represent images of women. Each, through her unique vision, not only shapes her own definition of herself, but also contributes to redefining and empowering women everywhere“. Through an innovative diversity of artistic media, the female artists taking part in this contemporary art event explore societal traditions and restrictions, while affirming the rapid political evolution of the Middle East.
The exhibition “Women Defining Women in Contemporary Art of the Middle East and Beyond” features a diverse selection of female artists of all ages. Thus, several generations of artists make up this presentation of art, yet they share a common identity, perhaps not exclusive to the Middle East, but one that remains feminine, an important point that embraces all the concerns addressed by the exhibition’s theme.
This artistic moment at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) is a unique opportunity for contemporary art lovers to discover the evolution of the female condition in societies described as patriarchal or stereotyped. The depth of the exhibition gives the public a glimpse of new perspectives and new narratives in which women are brought to the forefront of the global social scene.
