Marie El-Khazen (1899–1983): A Pioneer Lebanese Photographer
Gezairi Building 403 (Roundtable Discussion) and Art Gallery, Gezairi Building (Exhibition Opening), LAU Beirut campus
The Institute of Art in the Arab World (IAAW), in collaboration with the Arab Image Foundation and the Arab Institute for Women, invites you to the opening of Marie El-Khazen (1899–1983): A Pioneer Lebanese Photographer.
Curated by Dr. Yasmine Nachabe Taan and Georgia Makhlouf, this exhibition revisits the remarkable work of Marie El-Khazen (1899–1983), one of Lebanon’s earliest women photographers. Through more than 60 photographs drawn from the collections of Mohsen Yammine and the Arab Image Foundation, the exhibition sheds light on El-Khazen’s unique visual language and her pioneering role in documenting and interpreting life in northern Lebanon during the early twentieth century.
Moving beyond family documentation, El-Khazen’s photographs emerge as carefully staged and imaginative constructions of reality. Her images bring together figures across class, gender, and cultural divides, while challenging social conventions and presenting new possibilities for women in a rapidly changing society. The exhibition offers a compelling exploration of photography, gender, modernity, and everyday life in Mandate Lebanon.
Program
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4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Panel Discussion |
Moderated by Dr. Yasmine Nachabe Taan, Director of the Institute of Art in the Arab World and author of Reading Marie El-Khazen’s Photographs. Speakers
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5:30 p.m. Exhibition Opening |
Reception at the Art Gallery in Gezairi Building |
The exhibition will run from June 19 to July 28, 2026, and will be open Monday through Friday from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.