Remain/s

I grew up in war torn Beirut, Lebanon, during the 1980' s. This city was, and still 1s, the center of conflict for its neighboring countries. As a community, we endured traumas that are known to scar people for life. Moreover, we continued to thrive despite the destruction of our dwelling places. In my work, I explore the complex arena between paradoxes such as fragmentation versus ' held-together-ness', houses versus homes, and beauty that is crafted from pain. I paint attributes of resilience, faith, fortitude, ebullience, and tolerance of stress and pain. I use watercolor and graphite to depict both the destroyed and the pristine, crafting the integrity of the edifice and its subsequent loss. The sound that explodes to a deafening scope is buffered and accented with this delicate medium. Constructs from my neighborhood compress the passage of time over the lifespan of those buildings. Furthermore, I juxtapose these ruins with moments etched in and transferred from a metal plate to depict the durability and endurance of a community in the midst of total disarray. The concept of beauty is deconstructed from what has been precipitated and rooted in my history