New York-based Palestinian artist Samia Halaby is one of the most important contemporary painters of the Arab world and a pioneering figure in the international abstract art scene. Born in Jerusalem in 1936, Halaby was displaced from her homeland following the 1948 Nakba. Her childhood of constant relocation and instability would manifest in a politically charged artistic career and her ongoing commitment to the Palestinian cause.

Halaby’s artistic practice has evolved into Abstract Expressionism, characterised by her vibrant kaleidoscopic landscapes that blend geometric elements of early Islamic architecture with the austere aesthetics of Russian Constructivism. In 1964, when Halaby travelled to Turkey, Egypt, Syria and Palestine as part of the Kansas City Art Institute grant, the artist encountered important architectural landmarks and heritage sites. At the same time, her fascination with Soviet Socialist ideologies introduced her to influential Russian avant-garde artists, further shaping her creative vision.

Perhaps, one of the most influential sources of inspiration in Halaby’s oeuvre came from books on geometry used by engineers. Approaching art through the lens of science, Halaby achieved her signature style by observing the reflections of metal strips and recreating their visual effects in her work, resulting in her three dimensional geometric abstraction work. This was followed by the Diagonal Flight series in which she examined the representation of infinity, distance and time. Through creating multiple parallel diagonal lines that run from one edge of the canvas to another, Halaby evokes an idea of ‘flight’ through movement, which as a result, signifies the passage of time.

Halaby’s 2000 works are characterized by her departure from the predominant use of clear geometric shapes to more organic forms and smaller brush-strokes, creating more painterly abstractions. Halaby describes this as a turn towards ‘more complex geometry of nature,’ which because of its intricacy, ‘tends to be invisible due to the small scale of repeat patterns.’ (Samia Halaby in ‘Five Decades of Painting and Innovation: An Interview with Samia Halaby,’ in Jadaliyya, 31 March 2015).

In Water Lilies (2013), the artist presents a captivating vision of a water lily pond, unveiling an abstract visual language that speaks to the interconnectedness of all living forms and a deep sensitivity to the delicate relationships shaping our contemporary world. Through simplified floral forms rendered in soft pastel hues, the artist invites the viewer into a sensory experience—one that celebrates subtle variations and the rich, contextual interplay of colour.