(And so on…) :genetics, quantum mechanics, and transcendence in the later work of Saloua Raouda Choucair -

Abstract

In the spring of 2013 the Tate Modern in London opened a solo exhibition for the Lebanese artist, Saloua Raouda Choucair. The show is a reflection of an international trend towards the development of a global art history meant to overcome the power dynamics of colonialism by creating links between the Western canon and the histories of regions that have previously been considered peripheral. Instead of creating an expansive discourse, however the exhibition reinforces the structure it is meant to help break down by reinforcing orientalist ideals and the assumption of mimesis of European masters in the Middle East. This thesis opens the conversation about alternative interpretations of Choucair’s work by utilizing the personal notes of the artist, particularly relating to her interest in Genetics, Quantum Mechanics, and Transcendence. This is the first time these notes have been accessible to the academic community or anyone outside of the direct family of the artist and they reveal avenues of exploration that have never been mentioned in existing literature on the artist and her practice. By exploring the new themes found in these documents and reading them through the extensive body of produced work via a formal comparison a larger framework for understanding Choucair’s oeuvre emerges based on a continual interest in the concept of infinity.