Rania Matar: SHE

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The photographs of Lebanese Palestinian American artist Rania Matar tell the stories of young women through portraits taken throughout Lebanon, France, Egypt, and the United States.

Photographed through car windows, in abandoned buildings, snow-strewn fields, or floating in the Mediterranean Sea, the women collaborate with Matar, sharing a sense of creative agency. These large-scale color photographs portray individuality intimately tied to the histories and connections of place.

Open Gallery | 14 images

Press Images

A selection of the more than fifty photographs by Rania Matar featured in the exhibition

On the 50th anniversary of the outbreak of the Lebanese Civil War (1975–1990), the photographs taken in the Lebanese capital of Beirut, Southern Lebanon, and in and around the Palestinian refugee camps showcase the beauty of resilience found among the traces of destruction.

Students in Sarah Rogers’s course HARC 0357: Orientalism and the Visual Arts, drafted labels for the exhibition, a selection of which is included on the object labels.

This exhibition is organized by Rania Matar and the museum box.

upcoming events

ASSOCIATED EVENTS

 

Kayla, Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts
Rania Matar (Lebanese, born 1964), Kayla, Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, 2020, photograph, 19 1/4 x 24 inches. © Rania Matar. Courtesy the artist.

Opening Reception—Rania Matar: SHE

Thursday, February 13, 2025, 5:30 PM
Mahaney Arts Center, Lower Lobby and Museum
 

The photographs of Lebanese Palestinian American artist Rania Matar tell the stories of young women through portraits taken throughout Lebanon, France, Egypt, and the United States. Photographed through car windows, in abandoned buildings, snow-strewn fields, or floating in the Mediterranean Sea, the women collaborate with Matar, sharing a sense of creative agency. These large-scale color photographs portray individuality intimately tied to the histories and connections of place.

The panel discussion portion of this event has been canceled due to artist travel and winter weather. However, the reception will still go on as scheduled, from 5:30–7:00 PM. See the new exhibition, enjoy hors d’oeuvres in the lobby (cash bar), and learn about the exhibit from Curator of Collections and Director of Engagement Jodi Rodgers.

 

 

Yara, Beirut, Lebanon
Rania Matar (Lebanese, born 1964), Yara, Beirut, Lebanon [detail], 2018, photograph, 19 1/4 x 24 inches. © Rania Matar. Courtesy the artist.

Artist Talk / Q&A: Rania Matar

Thursday, April 17, 2025, 4:30 PM
Mahaney Arts Center, Room 125
 

Lebanese Palestinian American artist Rania Matar, whose photographs are currently on view in the museum, will discuss the images and origins of her series SHE.

Following her lecture, there will be light refreshments and a chance to mingle with the artist in the lower lobby of the Mahaney Arts Center.