• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About
    • About Art Class Curator
    • Contact
    • Speaking
    • Media & Press
    • Programs for Schools
  • Blog
  • Podcast
  • Shop
  • Join
  • Member Login

Art Class Curator

Hands-on and Minds-curious Art Learning

  • Art & Artists
  • Art Connection Activities
  • Art Teacher Tips
  • Elements & Principles
  • Downloads & Resources
Home
  • About
    • About Art Class Curator
    • Contact
    • Speaking
    • Media & Press
    • Programs for Schools
  • Blog
    • Art & Artists
    • Elements & Principles
    • Art Connection Activities
    • Art Teacher Tips
    • Downloads & Resources
  • Book
  • Podcast
  • Shop
  • Join
  • Member Login

December 6, 2017 3 Comments

Art and Poetry Connections with Saloua Raouda Choucair

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email

Inside: Check out this schoolwide group art project with both poetry and art connections inspired by the art of Lebanese artist, Saloua Raouda Chocair.

At first glance, today’s artwork is not the type of art I usually write about. If you have been following me for a while, you may have subtlety noticed that I generally write about art that moves me emotionally or that I find delightful. It is easy to write about what I like; I like bold, colorful, emotional, and meaningful art.

Now I know, for the sake of my readers, that I probably should go out of my comfort zone a bit, because I encourage you all to do that when picking art for your classroom and when coming up with learning activities for your students!

I came across today’s artist by looking for a good art selection from the Middle East for the Art Around the World in 21 Days email series. At first glance, the art of Saloua Raouda Choucair from Lebanon looks like something I wouldn’t necessarily gravitate towards, but after some more reading about this artist and the inspiration behind her sculpture, I’m definitely intrigued.

Get the Full Lesson!

This Lesson is in The Curated Connections Library!

Find the full lesson from this post along with hundreds of other art teaching resources and trainings in the Curated Connections Library. Click here for more information about how to join or enter your email below for a free SPARKworks lesson from the membership!

Join the List

Get the Full Lesson!

This Lesson is in The Curated Connections Library!

Find the full lesson from this post along with hundreds of other art teaching resources and trainings in the Curated Connections Library. Click here for more information about how to join or enter your email below for a free SPARKworks lesson from the membership!

Saloua Raouda Choucair

Saloua Raouda Choucair, a contemporary Lebanese artist, led a long life and worked tirelessly on her art, but received very little international recognition for it until she was 97 years old when a Tate Gallery curator discovered her art on a trip to Beirut. Choucair’s daughter had been tirelessly working to get her mother the recognition she deserved. In 2013, the Tate Gallery showed 120 of her works in a retrospective exhibition.

The opening artwork to the exhibit was this piece, TWO=ONE. Take a close look at it to see what is going on. I almost missed it at first.

Saloua Raouda Choucair, TWO=ONE, 1947–51
Saloua Raouda Choucair, TWO=ONE, 1947–51

This painting is very similar in style to her abstract sculptures discussed below. The composition and color palette are very intriguing, but there is another key component to this painting that wasn’t a part of the original intent of the artist.

If you take a closer look, you’ll see the painting is ripped and chipped. There are glass shards all over the painting, and there is a hole in the center. These things don’t fit with the precision in all of Choucair’s other paintings and sculptures. What do you think happened to the painting? Was this intentional by the artist?

The painting was damaged by a bomb in Beirut during the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990). It’s an interesting clash of abstract modern art with the context it was created in. Instead of cleaning up the painting, the curator of the Choucair retrospective exhibit chose to display the damaged painting as the opener of the exhibit.

Choucair was 97 at the time of the exhibit and suffered from Alzheimer’s. She was unable to travel to London to see her exhibition. What do you think she would have thought of her damaged painting being hung in the show? We can’t know, but it’s interesting to think about. Paintings live on after they are created, and new meanings can be added through time and circumstance.

Saloua Raouda Choucair’s Poem Sculptures

One of her primary art forms are “poem sculptures.”

Saloua Raouda Choucair, Poem Cube, 1963-65
Saloua Raouda Choucair, Poem Cube, 1963-65, Tate Museum

She creates these module pieces and fits them together into larger forms. One of her inspirations for these sculptures was the Arabic language and Sufi poetry. In this type of poetry, stanzas can stand alone as their own poems or they can be fit together in different ways to form other poems.

Saloua Raouda Choucair, Poem of Nine Verses, 1966-68
Saloua Raouda Choucair, Poem of Nine Verses, 1966-68, Tate Museum

That is what is happening here in these poem sculptures. They can be taken apart and put together in an infinite amount of ways to create completely different works of art. Choucair said of the poems, “they are built, in a way, to go to infinity; they don’t end; you can add forever, one piece after another.”

Classroom Connections

I love the idea of creating one large, school-wide (or class-wide) sculpture with pieces made by individual students. After introducing the artist, each student could make their own piece of the puzzle (maybe a flat tetris-style composition) with found materials, cardboard, tiles, blocks, or paper.

You could take this even further and study Sufi poetry and have each student create their own line or stanza to fit together with others. The class could decide on a theme for the stanza that relates to the school, and the poem could be exhibited along with the sculptures.

These two activities focus on building and reinforcing a school community.

I am happy to see that the work of Saloua Raouda Choucair found the limelight even if it was too late for her to witness it. It makes you wonder what other artworks we will never get to see. Who else has fallen through the cracks of art history?

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email

Filed Under: Art and Artists
Tagged With: saloua raouda choucair

 

You May Also Enjoy These Posts:

Art Around the World in 30 Days – Day #5 – IndiaThe Art Curator for Kids - Art About Love - KokoschkaArt About Love: Oskar Kokoschka’s The Bride of the WindThe Art Curator for Kids - The Art of Peggy Lipschutz - Songs we Can SeeSongs We Can See: The Art of Peggy Lipschutz

Reader Interactions

3 Comments

  1. Daphna

    March 2, 2023 at 1:14 am

    Thank you for posting this, this is a fantastic idea!

    Reply to this comment
  2. PAHUL S.

    November 14, 2023 at 6:57 am

    Where can we see the student’s responses to this exercise?

    Reply to this comment
    • Amy Davis

      November 29, 2023 at 8:49 am

      We unfortunately do not get student work from teachers. We would love to see how it goes with your students!

      Reply to this comment

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Hi! I’m Cindy Ingram, the creator of Art Class Curator and The Curated Connections Library

I’m on a mission to revolutionize education with the power of life-changing art connections. Art is not “extra”. Art is essential. We are empowering teachers to bridge the gap between art making and art connection, kindling a passion for art that will transform generations.

More About Me

Free Resource!

82 Questions About Art

82 questions you can use to start and extend conversations about works of art with your classroom. Free download includes a list plus individual question cards perfect for laminating!

Download

Free Resource!

82 Questions About Art

82 questions you can use to start and extend conversations about works of art with your classroom. Free download includes a list plus individual question cards perfect for laminating!

Enrollment in Curated Connections Library is currently open. Click here to join. Join our list to get more information and to get a free lesson from the vault! If you are purchasing for a school or school district, head over here for more information.

Check Out What’s New In The Shop

Experience Art: Engaging Art Criticism Discussions and Activities for Teachers and Students of All Ages
Call to Art: An Un-Conference for Art Educators
Curated Connections Library Membership
Perspectives High School Curriculum

More Products

Have You Listened to the Latest Podcast Episode?

Falling for Naudline Pierre’s Evocative Art: A Conversation with Madalyn (Part 2)

More Episodes

Testimonials

I like how this program, unlike other art class resource membership programs, feels authentic. It's like art matters more here, and not fancy flash-in-the-pan trendiness. The goal of Art Class Curator seemed to be helping kids develop a lifelong love and art appreciation versus "Hey, look. I painted this fish."
Erin A.
Your questions are helping me to delve into much deeper learning, and my students are getting better at discussion-and then, making connections in their own work. Art Class Curator is awesome!
Denise W.
Interestingly, my lower performing classes really get engaged in these [lessons] and come away with some profound thoughts!
Melissa G.
I had the most amazing 6th grade class today. They were jumping out of their seats with hands raised just to respond and give input. It was as if I was waving candy in front of them! They saw more and more and the ideas and interpretations unfolded. So cool!!! This is what makes teaching art so wonderful – thank you!!
Caroline G.
I just wanted to thank you for the invaluable resource you have through Art Class Curator. Not only do you have thought provoking activities and discussion prompts, but it saves me so much time in preparing things for myself! I feel like I’ve only scratched the surface with your site.
Maryjane F.

Get Art Inspiration To Your Inbox!

Enter your email address to get regular art inspiration to your inbox
plus a BUNDLE OF 6 FREE WORKSHEETS!
We hate SPAM and promise to keep your email address safe.
Download

Free Worksheets!

*Free Bundle of Art Appreciation Worksheets*

In this free bundle of art worksheets, you receive six ready-to-use art worksheets with looking activities designed to work with almost any work of art.

Copyright © 2025 Ignite Art, LLC DBA Art Class Curator •  All rights reserved  •  Privacy Policy  •  Terms of Service  •  Site Design by Emily White Designs