Samia Halaby: Eye Witness at Michigan State University’s Broad Art Museum is a journey through color and form in the midst of a gray winter landscape. The exhibition showcases the vibrant abstract paintings of 88-year-old artist Samia Halaby, whose works pulsate with energy and vitality. From the serene “Lilac Bushes” to the dynamic “Sun” and the rhythmic “Mother of Pearl II,” each painting tells a story of its own.
What makes Halaby’s work even more fascinating is her pioneering role in Computer Art. By incorporating digital images and kinetic paintings into her repertoire, she has created a visual feast for the senses. The exhibition at the MSU Broad Art Museum not only highlights her hand-painted works but also features her digital creations on screens throughout the galleries.
As visitors meander through the exhibition, they can witness Halaby’s artistic evolution from her early focus on form and optical illusion to her more recent kinetic works. Small watercolors, preparatory sketches, irregular canvases, and a colorful papier-mâché sculpture provide insight into her creative process. But beyond her artistic journey lies a personal one – a journey marked by displacement, migration, and resilience.
Halaby’s Palestinian heritage is an integral part of her identity and is reflected in her art. The exhibition at the MSU Broad Art Museum serves as a homecoming for the artist, who received her MA from Michigan State in 1960. Despite her significant contributions to the art world, particularly as a trailblazer for Arab and Muslim artists, Halaby’s first US museum retrospective is long overdue.
The cancellation of a retrospective show at the Eskenazi Museum of Art at Indiana University only underscores the need for greater recognition of Palestinian voices in the art world. It’s time for Halaby’s work to be celebrated and for her legacy to inspire a new generation of artists.
Samia Halaby: Eye Witness is a testament to the power of art to transcend borders and tell stories that resonate with audiences across the globe. The exhibition runs at the MSU Broad Art Museum until December 15, curated by Rachel Winter with support from Thaís Wenstrom and Laine Lord.
