A bridger of worlds

A poet, painter and philosopher, Etel Adnan’s life and work was shaped by a profound and vibrant exchange between Arab and Western cultures. In 2024, the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture in Dhahran is organizing the first major exhibition in Saudi Arabia dedicated to one of the most important voices in modern American-Arab literature and visual art. Living a life between Lebanon, France and California, and influenced by her travels to Mexico and North Africa, Adnan’s work is characterized by her openness to different media and languages, both literary and visual. Refusing to continue writing in French to show solidarity with Algeria during the Algerian War of Independence, she began to paint using bright colors as a universal language. Alongside this, leporellos became her signature medium: the pocket-sized books unfold into several meters long, lavishly illustrated tapestries of poetry and painting. Opening up new perspectives, this catalogue brings together a large number of works from all periods that emphasize the richness and diversity of Adnan’s oeuvre, and explores various themes essential to a deeper understanding of her work. A comprehensive chronology will also enrich the book, making it not least a reference tool in Arabic.