The Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art in Qatar is currently showcasing works by Palestinian artist Samia Halaby that were originally intended for a cancelled survey exhibition at Indiana University. The exhibition represents a partial recreation of the show that was called off by the university's Eskenazi Museum of Art in December 2023, citing safety concerns.

The cancellation occurred just one month before the exhibition was scheduled to open, affecting the 87-year-old artist who had both earned her master's degree at Indiana University and later taught there. At the time of the cancellation, Halaby noted that the decision came "at a time when Palestinian civilians are being massacred, starved, and displaced by the millions in Gaza." Following the Indiana cancellation, Michigan State University's museum staged a partial exhibition of her work in 2024, and Halaby also received special mention for her participation in the Venice Biennale that same year.

The current Mathaf presentation includes seven of the original 35 works that were planned for the Indiana show, displayed in the first gallery of the newly opened exhibition "we refuse_d," curated by Vasif Kortun. The gallery also features one work that appeared in the Michigan exhibition, bringing the total to nine Halaby paintings spanning from 1980 to 2024. All the works are abstract paintings that demonstrate the artist's evolution over four decades.

Among the notable pieces on display is the 1989 painting "Worldwide Intifadah," which The New York Times reported was previously unseen before the planned Indiana show. The exhibition also includes the 2024 painting "Massacre of the Innocents in Gaza," reflecting contemporary Palestinian experiences. The largest work in the display is "Transitions" (1988-98), a sprawling piece that spans an entire wall. Additionally, the gallery features "The Red One" (1999), which is part of Mathaf's permanent collection and would not have been included in the original Indiana exhibition.

Curator Vasif Kortun deliberately designed the gallery space to replicate how the exhibition would have appeared at Indiana's Eskenazi Museum, using specific lighting and wall colors to achieve this effect. "It pretends to be what would have been her exhibition there," Kortun explained. This thoughtful recreation allows visitors to experience something close to the artist's original vision for the cancelled show.

Halaby, who is based in New York, attended the opening of the Mathaf exhibition on Thursday night after participating in a panel discussion titled "Forms of Resistance: Palestinian Art Today." The panel, held at the nearby Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts Qatar, featured fellow Palestinian artists Taysir Batniji and Dima Srouji. During the discussion, Halaby drew connections between her abstract paintings and nature and craft while distinguishing between her artistic practice and political activism.

"Some people ask me 'Where is Palestine in your work?' I don't want to make a painting that has good politics so that the gallery will approve it and people will look at it. That's not politics to me. I make very blunt posters about the political situation in Palestine," Halaby stated during the panel. This comment highlights her approach to separating her artistic expression from her political advocacy.

The "we refuse_d" exhibition extends beyond Halaby's work to include other artists who have experienced cancellations over the past two years. Among them is Jumana Manna, a Palestinian filmmaker and sculptor whose exhibition at the Heidelberger Kunstverein in Germany was cancelled in October 2023. This broader context demonstrates the widespread challenges facing Palestinian artists in the international art world.

Halaby's work has experienced a significant surge in interest recently, both within museum circles and in the art market. Her digital artworks are currently on view at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, demonstrating the growing recognition of her contributions to contemporary art. This increased attention comes at a time when Palestinian artists are facing both heightened visibility and increased scrutiny in international art venues.