Huguette Caland

Huguette Caland (Arabic: أوغيت الخوري; née El Khoury; 19 January 1931 – 23 September 2019)^[1] was a Lebanese painter, sculptor^[2] and fashion designer^[3] known for her erotic abstract paintings and body landscapes. Based out of Los Angeles, her art was displayed in numerous exhibitions and museums.^[4]

Huguette Caland
أوغيت الخوري
Born	Huguette El Khoury (1931-01-19)19 January 1931 Beirut, Lebanon
Died	23 September 2019(2019-09-23) (aged 88) Beirut, Lebanon
Nationality	Lebanese
Education	American University of Beirut
Known for	Painting, sculpture, fashion design
Spouse	Paul Caland

Early life

Caland was born into a Lebanese political family in Beirut, Lebanon on 19 January 1931.^[5] Her father, Bechara El Khoury, became the first post-independence president of Lebanon in 1943, serving the country for nine years.^[4]

Career

Caland came to art somewhat late in life, beginning her studies at the American University in Beirut in her 30s.^[6][7] In 1970, she moved to Paris where she lived and worked as an artist for 17 years.^[8] She became a regular guest at the Feraud studio, meeting many artists, including André Masson, Pierre Schaeffer, and Adalberto Mecarelli.^[4] In 1979, Caland collaborated with designer Pierre Cardin, creating a line of caftans that were displayed at Espace Cardin.^[9] In 1983, Caland met Romanian sculptor George Apostu. From 1983 to 1986, they worked in Paris and in the Limousin, creating many paintings and sculptures during this time.^[4][10]

Caland moved back to Los Angeles in 1987, where she lived and worked for the next years.^[11] In 2013 she returned to Beirut to say goodbye to her dying husband and remained there until the end of her life.^[11]

Among other exhibitions, Caland's work was included in the 2021 exhibition Women in Abstraction at the Centre Pompidou.^[12]

Exhibitions

Solo exhibitions

• Huguette Caland, Galerie Janine Rubeiz, Beirut, 2011^[13]
• Huguette Caland Retrospective, Beirut Exhibition Center, 2013^[14]
• Solo exhibition, Galerie Janine Rubeiz, Beirut, 2018^[15]
• Tate St Ives, St Ives, UK, 2019^[16][17]
• "Faces and Places" Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, Doha, August to December 2020^[18]
• "Huguette Caland: Tête-à-Tête" The Drawing Center, New York City, June 11–September 19, 2021^[19]

Group exhibitions

• Art from Lebanon, Beirut Exhibition Center, 2012^[20]
• Institut du Monde Arabe, Paris, 2012^[21]
• Prospect 3 Biennale, New Orleans, 2014^[22]
• Frieze Masters, London, 2014^[23]
• Hammer Museum, Made in L.A., 2016^[11]
• 57th Biennale de Venezia, 2017^[24]