Google Doodle remembers Etel Adnan (PC: Twitter)
Google commemorated the legacy of Etel Adnan, the Lebanese-American poet, essayist, and visual artist, in a vibrant Google Doodle to celebrate World Art Day.
The drawing showed Adnan entrenched in her art world, with some of her works, books, a fresh fruit bowl, and the Lebanon flag as a backdrop against a picturesque mountain setting that could be likened to her home country, Lebanon, or California, where she lived.
Etel Adnan’s artistic beginnings
This genius was born in Beirut in 1925, and after graduation, she studied philosophy in Paris before moving to America for further education at well-known universities. Although she died at 96 last November, her impact on literature and art continues.
In the evolution of Adnan’s artistry, writing turned into visual arts, specifically abstract oil paintings characterized by bold shapes, bright colors, and evocative compositions. These are expressed through intuitive approaches such as direct applications of paint on canvas, subtly capturing light and nature.
A legacy of creativity
Her writings also extended beyond her canvases; they include themes concerning exile, political injustice, social injustices, and gender inequality. Surrealist imagery and metaphorical depths define her prose poetry, making her one of the most famous Arab American writers in history.
Adnan earned various distinguished accolades for efforts that benefitted the arts, including Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres from the French Government in 2014. Meanwhile, King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture held an exhibition called ‘Between East and West,’ which marked seven decades for this prolific career.
For instance, just last year, two pieces titled California and another untitled by Adnan fetched record amounts during auctions, which only underlines that she is not just a trailblazer but, more than that, an influential artist whose influence transcends borders.
Through its doodle yesterday marking Etel Adnan’s life work, among other reasons why it was important to pay attention to her, Google has done a great deal more than just eulogizing a brilliant artist.