Micha Moussallem

Some people spend their lives accepting their lot, while others take their destiny into their own hands. This is all the more difficult for a woman living in a man’s world. And yet… some women chose to fight, succeeding in breaking the taboos of their time. Whether they wielded a brush, a pen, scientific instruments, or their voices, they made their mark on their century with a boldness that at times bordered on scandal. From Artemisia Gentileschi, defying Italian society and the courts five centuries ago, to George Sand, who traded the corset for the freedom to write; from Camille Claudel, the deeply wounded artist, to the rigor and genius of Marie Curie, and the universal voice of Oum Kalthoum… these women succeeded in overcoming social prejudice.

Some people spend their lives accepting their lot, while others take their destiny into their own hands. This is all the more difficult for a woman living in a man’s world. And yet… some women chose to fight, succeeding in breaking the taboos of their time. Whether they wielded a brush, a pen, scientific instruments, or their voices, they made their mark on their century with a boldness that at times bordered on scandal. From Artemisia Gentileschi, defying Italian society and the courts five centuries ago, to George Sand, who traded the corset for the freedom to write; from Camille Claudel, the deeply wounded artist, to the rigor and genius of Marie Curie, and the universal voice of Oum Kalthoum… these women succeeded in overcoming social prejudice.

Some people spend their lives accepting their lot, while others take their destiny into their own hands. This is all the more difficult for a woman living in a man’s world. And yet… some women chose to fight, succeeding in breaking the taboos of their time. Whether they wielded a brush, a pen, scientific instruments, or their voices, they made their mark on their century with a boldness that at times bordered on scandal. From Artemisia Gentileschi, defying Italian society and the courts five centuries ago, to George Sand, who traded the corset for the freedom to write; from Camille Claudel, the deeply wounded artist, to the rigor and genius of Marie Curie, and the universal voice of Oum Kalthoum… these women succeeded in overcoming social prejudice.

Some human beings resign themselves to their fate, while others take their destiny into their own hands. This is all the more difficult when you are a woman in a man's world. And yet… some have not hesitated — they have chosen to fight, managing to shatter the taboos and dictates of their time. Throughout history, women have refused to be mere footnotes. Whether wielding a paintbrush, a pen, science, or their voice, they inhabited their era with a boldness that sometimes bordered on scandal. They were wanted as muses — they became creators. They were expected to be submissive — they chose freedom. They were meant to be silenced — they proclaimed their convictions louder and stronger than ever.

Some people spend their lives accepting their lot, while others take their destiny into their own hands. This is all the more difficult for a woman living in a man’s world. And yet… some women chose to fight, succeeding in breaking the taboos of their time. Whether they wielded a brush, a pen, scientific instruments, or their voices, they made their mark on their century with a boldness that at times bordered on scandal. From Artemisia Gentileschi, defying Italian society and the courts five centuries ago, to George Sand, who traded the corset for the freedom to write; from Camille Claudel, the deeply wounded artist, to the rigor and genius of Marie Curie, and the universal voice of Oum Kalthoum… these women succeeded in overcoming social prejudice.

Some people submit to fate, while others take their destiny into their own hands. That is all the more difficult when the person is a woman in a world dominated by men. And yet… some women refused to yield. They chose to fight, breaking the taboos and conventions of their time. Throughout history, countless women have refused to be mere footnotes in the story of humanity. Whether they wielded a paintbrush, a pen, science, or their voice, they left their mark on their era with a boldness that was sometimes considered scandalous. Society wanted them to be muses; they became creators. It demanded obedience; they chose freedom. It sought to silence them; they spoke even louder and with even greater conviction.

As we have seen previously, Gibran Khalil Gibran was a multifaceted artist – at once poet, thinker, writer, and highly gifted painter. Although he is best known in the West for his literary work The Prophet , published in numerous languages, his pictorial work is equally remarkable and was recognized during his lifetime. “Art is the expression of thought through brush, chisel, pen, or song. It is the divine spark that burns within each of us.” “I would like to paint what lies at the very depths of the human heart.” Gibran showed an aptitude for drawing from childhood. In 1904, his first drawings were exhibited at Fred Holland Day’s studio in Boston, thanks to Mary Haskell, his mentor. In 1908, encouraged by her, he enrolled at the Académie Julian as well as in Auguste Rodin’s studio in Paris in order to refine his painting technique. This encounter with Rodin marked a turning point in his vision of the human body. Rodin himself compared Gibran to William Blake. Like Blake, Gibran illustrated his own texts, seeking to create a “total” work in which word and image echo one another.

In our previous article, we reviewed Gibran’s life. In this second installment, we explore several facets of the thinker: the influence of Friedrich Nietzsche, Gibran the rebel, and his role as a precursor of Lebanese nationalism. “I am a son of earth and sky. The forest is my church, the field my sanctuary, and the stars my companions in meditation.” Gibran Khalil Gibran “Man is a rope stretched between the animal and the Superman – a rope over an abyss .” Friedrich Nietzsche During his stay in Paris, Gibran discovered Nietzsche, a revelation that profoundly transformed both his thought and his style. He moved from a melancholic, nostalgic poet to a thundering prophetic voice. His writing became aphoristic, prophetic, and powerful.

“I am but a small cloud drifting across the sky, knowing neither where it goes nor whence it came.” Some souls defy every border and elude every label. Gibran Khalil Gibran was one of them. At once celebrated and strangely insufficiently known, he remains among the most compelling figures of the twentieth century. Born in Lebanon, he came of age amid the restless energy of Boston and New York City. Through his work, Gibran quietly disproved Rudyard Kipling’s famous assertion that “East is East, and West is West, and never the twain shall meet.” In his life and writing, he embodied both the spiritual depth of the East and the rational modernity of the West.

Nabil Nahas, a leading figure in Lebanese-American contemporary art, is currently at the center of the international art scene. He has been officially selected to represent Lebanon at the upcoming Venice Biennale, which will take place from May 9 to November 22, 2026. Nabil Nahas occupies a singular position within the contemporary art landscape. He is one of the few artists to have achieved a distinctive synthesis between radical American abstraction and an Eastern sensibility deeply rooted in nature and spirituality. The exhibition, titled Don’t Get Me Wrong , is curated by Nada Ghandour, curator and commissioner, in collaboration with the Lebanese Visual Art Association (LVAA). It will take place at the Arsenale (Sala d’Armi), one of the most prestigious venues of the Venice Biennale.