Etel Adnan was a Lebanese-American poet, essayist, and painter. She was born in 1925 in Beirut, Lebanon, to a Greek-Christian mother and a Syrian-Muslim father. She grew up speaking Greek and Arabic, but French eventually became her primary language as she attended French convent schools. Perhaps influenced by her diverse background and nomadic life, Adnan created works that crossed cultures and disciplines.
Adnan studied philosophy at the Sorbonne in Paris, then moved to America in 1955, where she attended UC Berkeley and Harvard. Afterward, she taught Philosophy of Art and Aesthetics at Dominican College in California. She also lectured at many other universities in the U.S.
Adnan’s artworks are known for their vivid colors and abstract qualities. She began integrating Arabic calligraphy into her art pieces in the 1960s, influenced by early Hurufiyya artists. The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, the Pompidou Centre in Paris, the British Museum in London, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, and many others have featured her works.
Adnan passed away at the age of 96 in 2021 in Paris.
Hannah Kim For The Junior Times junior/1727231202/1613367853
1. Where was Etel Adnan born?
2. What subjects did Etel Adnan teach at Dominican College in California?
3. What type of art is Etel Adnan known for creating?
4. At what age did Etel Adnan pass away, and where did she pass away?
1. Have you ever created an artwork with bright colors like Etel Adnan did? What did you draw or paint?
2. If you could learn to speak a new language, which one would you choose? Why?
3. Do you like painting, writing, or both? What do you like to express through your artwork or stories?
4. Have you ever visited a museum or seen famous art? What kind of art did you like the most?
Etel Adnan was a Lebanese-American poet, essayist, and painter. She was born in 1925 in Beirut, Lebanon, to a Greek-Christian mother and a Syrian-Muslim father. She grew up speaking Greek and Arabic, but French eventually became her primary language as she attended French convent schools. Perhaps influenced by her diverse background and nomadic life, Adnan created works that crossed cultures and disciplines.
