7 Questions for Sébastien Delot

7 Questions for Sébastien Delot Michelle Johnson (bio) and Sébastien Delot (bio) Click for larger view View full resolution Etel Adnan, Freedom of People, Freedom of Animals, Freedom of Plants, Freedom of Nature, 2011, leporello, ink, color, and oil pastel on paper, cover: 18.1 x 12.3 cm; 24 pages, 17.8 x 11.3 cm; max extension 285.6 cm / Courtesy the estate of the artist & Sfeir-Semler Gallery Beirut / Hamburg The exhibit Etel Adnan, Between East and West is ongoing at Ithra, a museum and cultural space in Saudi Arabia. This is the first retrospective exhibition in Saudi Arabia showcasing the works of Lebanese American poet, artist, and philosopher Etel Adnan, whose collection of stories Master of the Eclipse won the 2010 Arab American Book Award. Sébastien Delot curated the exhibit at Ithra. Q Our readers might think of Etel Adnan (1925–2021) first as a poet and writer. In our pages, Victoria Chang recommended Adnan's poetry collection Time, and Monica Carter recommended her poetry collection Sea and Fog. Can you introduce her work as a visual artist? A Etel Adnan is a significant voice within the art historical canon. Although she became known initially for her literary work, her acclaim soon developed to become more focused on her visual creative output. However, Adnan was completely fascinated by this idea of fluidity between mediums, and her works all draw on her love of both the visual and the written arts. She was particularly fascinated by a dream of unity through art, and how art could bridge different techniques and mediums but also perform a wider bridging function within society, to be within public spaces, to unite people around ideas. In a more practical sense, the exhibition gathers painting, ceramic, tapestry, and leporello works, creating a journey through Adnan's agility as a visual artist. Q How did Ithra come to select Adnan's work for exhibition at this particular moment? A Saudi Arabia is making significant strides forward and developing an ecosystem that nurtures creativity, unlocks the economic potential of the sector, and unleashes new and inspiring forms of expression. Ithra nurtures this cultural and artistic vibrancy across the region, creating an authentic legacy that encourages a new generation to recognize the transformative power of the arts and, through both national and international collaborations, foster greater understanding and cross-cultural connections. This creative engagement aligned with Etel Adnan's work and personal belief. As a citizen of the world with a deeply inquisitive mind, Adnan regarded art as a realm of revelation. [End Page 26] Both in her life and work, she transcended borders, bridging generations, physical spaces, languages, and cultures. In addition, with the exception of a 2014 exhibition in Qatar, Adnan's work has predominantly been showcased in the Western world. Given her identity shaped by both Eastern and Western influences, and her creative focus on intertwining connections between the two, it is not only natural but also highly significant for her work to gain increased visibility in the Arab world. Q I understand that, at one point, she turned to visual art to free herself from writing in French. Can you tell us more about that? A Each language bears its own stigmas, barriers, and layered political, social, and cultural connotations, shaping and defining the inherent messages. At the time, the French language represented a colonial culture through linguistic assimilation. Adnan was deeply committed to finding a universal language that existed outside of such structures and legacies. In choosing to express herself through painting and visual art, she found mediums that transcended these linguistic complexities and fostered a global dialogue where her voice can resonate without limitations. She furthered this ideal by focusing on abstraction, which enabled her to use colors, movements, and forms to express her emotions, ideas, as well as to capture the natural beauty of her surroundings. Q In addition to oil and watercolor pieces and wool tapestries, Adnan creates leporellos, a form of accordion-folded artist books of Japanese origin. How do visual art and language intersect in these? A Adnan's love of literature, and other areas like sociology, politics, and philosophy, are all reflected...