Luminance: A Tribute Event For Etel Adnan

On the one year anniversary of her death, Mizna celebrates the life and legacy of the prolific artist, writer, and philosopher Etel Adnan in a conversation with some of her collaborators and peers, Kazim Ali, Andrea Abi-Karam, and Omar Berrada moderated by Mizna curator Heba Y. Amin. This conversation will be available to view starting November 14, 2022.

Etel Adnan passed away last year at the age of 96, leaving behind a wealth of prose, poetry, and artworks. Adnan’s thoughtful and fierce approach to her practice serves as an inspiration and will continue to have a deep impact. Mizna has dedicated a large part of their 2022 film and literary programs to her memory.

Mizna’s summer journal, Mizna 23.1 features Adnan’s paintings and tapestries and Mizna asked a few writers to join us in honoring her through written tributes. Omar Berrada, one of Adnan’s frequent collaborators, contributes a translated essay, “I followed lines I never saw,” originally written for the catalog of the exhibition Ecrire, c’est dessiner, which opened at Centre Pompidou-Metz in October 2021 and was inspired by Etel Adnan’s idea that “writing is drawing.” Curator Marie-Nour Héchaime interviewed Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige about the making of their film ISMYRNA and their creative relationship with Adnan in an interview titled Looking Through The Eternal Present. Kazim Ali, Youmna Chlala, Lisa Suheir Majaj, and Andrea Abi Karam contributed poetry in the memory of Etel Adnan.