Paul Guiragossian. 100 Years of Art is a major retrospective presented by Bassam Freiha Art Foundation (BFAF) marking the centenary of Paul Guiragossian’s (1926–1993) birth.
This landmark exhibition, dedicated to one of the most important figures of modern Lebanese and Middle Eastern art, will run from 17 October 2026 – 17 January 2027 in Abu Dhabi. Developed in collaboration with the Paul Guiragossian Foundation and co-curated by the artist’s daughter Manuella Guiragossian with BFAF head curator and director of exhibitions Dr Michaela Watrelot, the exhibition brings together significant works drawn primarily from the artist’s estate, offering a comprehensive exploration of his life and legacy. Founded by philanthropist and art collector His Excellency Bassam Said Freiha, BFAF is the first and only private art foundation in Saadiyat Cultural District.
Paul Guiragossian is recognised as one of the most important painters and humanist voices to emerge from the Levant region in the twentieth century. His art continues to resonate across cultures and generations through its enduring affirmation of our shared humanity. He was awarded the Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by France in 1984 and the Knighthood of the National Order of the Cedar by Lebanon in 1993.
Structured as a chronological journey, the exhibition traces Guiragossian’s artistic evolution from his early years in an Armenian family shaped by displacement and migration, including the 1948 relocation from Jaffa to Lebanon, through to his global recognition as one of the most important painters from the region to emerge in the twentieth century.
From the figurative portraiture of his early years to the elongated silhouettes of his final decade, works on view show the evolution of his artistic language, built on his conviction that the human figure, however abstracted, ‘will remain beautiful.’’
Alongside his iconic paintings, archival photographs, personal documents, and rarely-seen materials provide a more intimate portrait of the artist. Particular attention is given to the central role of three women in Paul’s life who profoundly influenced his personal and artistic trajectory: his mother Rahel, whose experience of displacement informed his lifelong search for belonging; his wife Juliette, his muse, collaborator, and steadfast companion; and his daughter Manuella, who continues to preserve and share his artistic legacy today.
Rarely-exhibited works from the family’s private collection include Self-Portrait (1948) and Rahel (the artist’s mother) (1948), which anchor the exhibition’s opening chapter. Femmes en Conversation (1951) Juliette et Mano (1955) and L’Etreinte (1973), depicting his daughter Manuella running into the arms of her mother Juliette, and Portrait of Juliette (1978) trace maternal figures and the artist’s focus on his own family as a recurring subject. The exhibition closes with an unfinished self-portrait that Paul was working on before he died in Beirut in November 1993.
More than a retrospective, the exhibition offers a renewed reading of Guiragossian’s oeuvre. Through his singular commitment to the human figure, Guiragossian transformed personal experience into something more universal that continues to resonate across cultures and generations. Conceived as a deeply personal narrative, the exhibition invites audiences to encounter not only the artist’s work, but also the human story that shaped it.
Press release from Bassam Freiha Art Foundation
Image: Paul. Guiragossian. Composition (La Grande Charge). 1990-91. Oil on canvas. 130 x 200 cm. Paul Guiragossian Estate collection, Lebanon
