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L’atelier by Maher Attar will be hosting the inaugural solo exhibition “Les oubliés” by Lebanese artist Mirna Maalouf, curated by Muriel Asmar. This exhibition is set to unveil on Tuesday, May 7, 2024, at 6:00 PM, providing a rich narrative through art at a multifunctional creative space that encompasses an art hub, studio and gallery. The exhibition will run from May 8 to May 18, open from Tuesday to Saturday, between 3:00 PM and 7:00 PM.
Mirna Maalouf’s artistic oeuvre represents a mesmerizing amalgamation of nostalgia and contemporary artistry. Utilizing a unique technique that marries transferred photographs with painting, Maalouf scratches and transfers materials to canvas, a method honed through extensive experimentation. Her journey into the art world was far from traditional; beginning with a PhD in criminal law in 2008, she later pursued a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 2016 and finally a bachelor’s in plastic arts from the Sorbonne in Paris in 2020, where she unearthed her true passion.
Mirna Maalouf’s body of work has been showcased in various esteemed venues across Lebanon and France, including: Paysage sonore at BLOW – collective, Château d’Esquelbecq, France, 2023, Her voice her power at Beit Beirut Museum – collective, Beirut, 2023, Blessées at Sassine Square – street art – solo, Beirut, 2022, Visions of today at Galerie Janine Rubeiz – collective, Beirut, 2021, Dessine-moi un cèdre at Résidence des Pins – collective, Beirut, 2020, October 17, 2019 at Galerie Janine Rubeiz – collective, Beirut, 2019.
The artist’s exhibition, “Les oubliés,” features 21 artworks that delve into the themes of decay, nostalgia and memory through the lens of destroyed houses and forgotten homes. Interwoven with these poignant images are representations of forgotten cartoon characters, adding layers of sentiment and introspection. This juxtaposition invites viewers to ponder the ephemeral nature of existence and the relentless march of time. As abandoned houses depict decay and impermanence, the inclusion of tiny, sophisticated creatures breathes life into these spaces, and the cartoon characters stir a nostalgic yearning for past eras.
A Glimpse of Mirna Maalouf’s Exhibition Writings
As you enter these destroyed, ruined houses, you are overwhelmed by the deafening silence and the heavy quietness.
You move slowly through these houses, with reverence, as if entering a church, or a mosque, or a temple.
You hear the resonance of your sad footsteps, and you imagine the voices that once filled this place, and the laugher that once echoed.
So you feel small, very small, facing this greatness, and you become a link, between the past and the present.