Ethel Adnan: Poetic Resistance in the Storm of War

The exhibition Voices Without Borders by Etel Adnan and Simone Fattal, dedicated to the influential poet, artist and philosopher, has opened in Berlin. Etel Adnan, who passed away in 2021, expressed her deep connection to literature through poetry, painting and texts, emphasizing her commitment to feminism, politics and art. The exhibition presents the diversity of their individual and collective works, bringing insightful ideas about their artistic and literary achievements. It shows how their creative path has been shaped during turbulent times in history.

Ethel Adnan was born in Beirut and later moved to Paris, where she played a key role in the Arab modernist movement. Her diverse cultural heritage and''s academic journey from Lebanon to France and finally to the San Francisco Bay significantly shaped her vision of the world. Her work often used bright and eye-catching colors such as pink, orange, yellow, red, green and blue. She used colors to create a new language and express her reaction to the conflicts around her.

Adnan believed that artists were responsible for''empathize with the human suffering caused by war. Through their art they can document and express the emotions, stories and reality of those affected by conflict. Adnan saw artists as truth-tellers who questioned the actions of governments and institutions, emphasizing the often devastating effects of war. She believed that art can be a tool in times of conflict, providing a space for reflection, contemplation and healing. She pointed to a philosophy of nonviolent resistance and civil disobedience as demonstrated by Leo Tolstoy and Mahatma Gandhi. Adnan emphasized the importance of changing one's perspective and finding creative and non-confrontational ways to solve