Beirut

Year

2003

Client

French Embassy in Beirut

Beirut, Lebanon
The Challenge

La Francophonie (2003)

Husam Chaya created La Francophonie for a solo exhibition held in 2003 at the Centre Culturel Français, part of the French Embassy in Beirut. The sculpture was designed on the occasion of the 2003 Francophonie Summit hosted in Beirut, marking a significant moment of cultural and diplomatic exchange.

The exhibition featured four monumental sculptures and ten medium-scale works, positioning Chaya among emerging contemporary sculptors engaging with themes of cultural dialogue and international identity.

Following the exhibition, La Francophonie was acquired by the French Embassy and is now part of its permanent art collection in Beirut — a lasting testament to the artist’s early engagement with public art, diplomacy, and cross-cultural collaboration.

Location

Installed at the French Embassy in Beirut, the sculpture stands within a setting that embodies cultural dialogue and diplomatic heritage. Its presence reflects a lasting artistic exchange between France and Lebanon, situated at the heart of an institution devoted to cultural mission and international relations.