Lena Kelekian
Who Is She
Personal information
Visual Artist, Iconographer, Muralist, Restorer, Geologist, Environmental designer, Mosaicist, Lecturer, Curator
Lena Kelekian
Contact information / Private
Contact information / Work
Kelekian Art Gallery
Postbox:
11 1966, Beirut - Lebanon
Zalka, Caracas st., Garnet Bldg., 1st Flr.
Phone:
961 1 895035
Fax:
961 1 895035
Mobile:
961 3 895035
Education
Education:
- Advanced studies & Diploma in Museum Curatorial studies 2013, post-graduate program, Beijing Art Academy, Beijing, China.
- Doctorate Degree, Fine Arts (with honors), 1995, Greci Marino Academy of Letters, Arts, & Sciences, Italy.
- Higher Studies Diploma, Research and Restoration, 1983 -1992, International Academic Program (IAP), University College London, UK & on site in Italy, Greece, Spain & Portugal.
- Higher Studies Diploma (Diplôme Supérieur), Theology, 1989, Higher Institute for Religious Formation (Institut Supérieur Pour La Formation Religieuse), France.
- Bachelor Degree, Geology, 1981, American University of Beirut, Lebanon.
Areas of expertise
Expertise:
- Visual Art / Iconography
- Restoration (icons, murals, oil, parchment, glass and antiquities)
- Fine Arts
- Geology & Mineralogy
- Environmental Design / City Embellishment
- Art Therapy
- Curator of International Art Exhibitions
Languages:
- English
- Arabic
- Armenian
- Italian
- French
Work history
Jobs:
- Art work furnishing and restoration for museums and other private institutions and residences, 2000 - present, CMC affiliated with Johns Hopkins Hospital, Out Patient Clinics, Belle Vue Medical Center (BMC), St. Marc Laboratory, and St. Nicholas Church Museum (Lebanon).
- Owner and Artist, 1992 - present, Kelekian Art Gallery.
- Curator and organizer, 2010, Olympia Fine Arts Association: 1st art exhibition in Sarajevo and Banja Luka.
- Professor, 2008-2009, American Univesity of Beirut.
- Organizer of art therapy workshops, 2006-2008, Femme Art Mediterranée under the aegis of UNESCO in Rhodes and Amman.
- Curator, 2001 - 2003, International Exhibition for Small Format Art (Europe).
Honorary office and memberships
- President of the Olympia Fine Arts Association (OFAA) of selected artists from the 2008 Beijing Olympics Fine Arts, winners of the gold medal & the Torch, 2011 - 2013.
- Founder & President of the Mediterranean Endeavors Advancing Development of Widespread Sustainability (MEADOWS), 2008 - 2013.
- Honorary Board Member of the American University of Beirut (AUB) Alumni Mount Lebanon Chapter, 2009 – present.
- President of the Lebanon chapter of the International Women Artists Council (INWAC), 2008 - present.
- President of Lebanon chapter of Femme Art Méditerranée under the aegis of UNESCO, 2000 - present.
- Nominated as the National President and General Delegate for Lebanon and the Middle East of the Accademia Internazionale Greci Marino Italy, 1999 - present.
- Council Member of the Worldwide Alumni Association of the American University of Beirut (WAAUB), 2009 - 2011.
- Vice President, Board member & Curator of exhibitions of the Olympia Fine Arts Association (OFAA) of 2008 Beijing Olympics, 2008 - 2010.
- Chairperson of cultural activities at the American University of Beirut (AUB) Alumni Mount Lebanon Chapter, 1992 - 1998.
Productions
Major achievements:
- Restoration of the 17th century Melkite icons of the St. Nicholas Church Museum in Saida, 2009 - 2011.
- Embellishment Project of the Ain Mreisse Corniche with cut ceramic benches and the mega chessboard, 2004 – 2011.
- Winner of 15 gold medals, 1992 - 2011.
- Representing Lebanon at the Beijing International Art Biennale, and selection of the abstract painting entitled "Planet Earth, Our Only Home" to become part of the permanent collection of the Beijing Contemporary Art Museum, 2010.
- The ceramic wall and the monument of “From Earth to Heavens" at the Quarantina seaside highway, 2010.
- Representing Lebanon and the Middle East after being selected at an international competition at the 2008 Beijing Olympics Fine Arts and winning the gold medal and the Olympic Torch, Beijing 2008.
- The ceramic wall with floral design of the Beirut river bank wall, 2004.
Exhibitions, lectures & performances:
- 12 solo exhibitions & 165 collective exhibitions in 45 countries all over the world, 1992 - 2011.
- Art works in permanent display in 14 museums in 14 countries from the Americas to Europe, Middle East to the Far East, 1992 - 2010.
Awards and Distinctions
Distinctions:
- Received the title of ‘Knight of the Order’ for her contributions in Sciences and Arts in this epoch, Verbano Italy, 1996.
- Honored by the Silver Cross for the “Merite et Devouement Francais”, France, 1996
- Received the honorary title of ‘Artiste de la Communaute Europeenne’, for her creations, EU, 1996
- Received the title of “Createur d’Aujourd’hui” for her contribution to the artistic heritage of her epoch from the “Federation Nationale de la Culture Française” [National Federation of French Culture], France, 1995
- Received the honorary title ‘Lady’ and ‘Academician’ from Accademia Internazionale da Scienze lettere e Arte, Verbano [ International Academy for letters, arts and science, Verbano], (Italy) for rediscovering 89 natural pigments for painting icons and contributing to arts and sciences, 1995.
- Received the title of “La Toile d’Or” in fine arts from the National Federation of French Culture (FNCF), for preserving the artistic heritage of her epoch, France, 1994.
Awards:
- Gold Medal of North Art Space, Jakarta, Indonesia, 2011.
- Gold medal of Banja Luka city, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2010.
- Beijing Olympic Fine Arts Gold Medal & Olympic Torch, from the Beijing Olympic Committee, for the abstract painting entitled “Planet Earth in the 21st century” selected to represent Lebanon and the Middle East for the Beijing Olympics, China, 2008.
- 1st Prize winner of the "Joudraniyat Tunnel Sassine" competition, Ashrafieh, Beirut, 1997.
