Nada Sehnaoui
B. 1958, Beirut
Nada Sehnaoui holds a diploma of cinematographic studies and research from the University of Sorbonne Nouvelle, a master's degree in Sociology from the University of Paris Nanterre, a diploma of advanced studies in history from the University of Paris Sorbonne, and a Fourth and Fifth Year Diploma from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. She also pursued Film Production studies at Boston University.
In addition to exhibiting her paintings, Sehnaoui has created numerous large-scale public installations and site-specific installations in Lebanon and around the world. Her installations in the public space in Lebanon, such as Fractions of Memory (2003), Waynoun (where are they?) (2006), and Haven't Fifteen Years of Hiding in the Toilets Been Enough? (2008), have received recognition and acclaim.
Sehnaoui's artistic achievements include winning the Dana Pond Finalist Award from the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and receiving a grant from the Prince Claus Fund for the creation of her installation "Fraction of War Memory."
About her work
Nada Sehnaoui's work is influenced by the writings of T.S. Eliot, particularly his poems that express the disillusionment of a younger generation following World War I. Just as Eliot's poems critique the values and conventions of the Victorian era, Sehnaoui's art captures sardonic and elegiac glimpses of modern life and human consciousness. She creates a distinct language and vocabulary of observation, conveying a similar irony to Eliot's writing.
About To Sweep
To Sweep symbolizes a common act in our lives with multiple meanings. It ranges from the simple daily chore of cleaning one's home to the more profound task of sweeping away the aftermath of bombings, wars, and even peaceful revolutions. Sweeping becomes an essential act of starting anew and rebuilding one's life. This installation, created in December 2010 using four hundred and twenty brooms and texts, preceded the sweeping movements that were about to unfold in the Arab World. Since then, some elements on the To Sweep installation list, such as dictatorship and fear, have begun to be swept away. However, the question remains: Have they truly been eradicated?
Nada Sehnaoui
To Sweep, 20--
Brooms and paper, 75 x 550 x 370 cm
Loan from the artist