Chisels, Brushes & Pens…

Under this concept, the Galerie Janine Rubeiz will be showcasing a special selection of its artists at Art Abu Dhabi 2015 edition. This show aims to put forward the diversity of the creative means of production, the varied interests and concerns of the artists, yet focusing on the underlying fundamental grounds that bring these artists together in their outreach toward excellence.

Huguette Caland is, above all, a painter. Her sculptures mark her simple and direct approach to sculpture as an extension of her concerns on canvas. As of the early 1980’s, exploring new materials - Terra cotta, Stone and the technique of Papier Mâché -  gave her novel means of expression. These Bronze pieces mark the direct link between her delicate line drawing while examining, rethinking, adapting and modeling her vision in the third dimension. In this particular presentation, these links are perceptible as they shed, however, another light on Huguette’s rich and diverse production, concerns and experimental approaches.

Ghassan Ghazal’s monochrome painting using Braille, a tactile writing system used by the blind and the visually impaired, pushes further the concept of writing to impart with ideas of coding and de-coding. Here, the image can be looked at as a visual work, yet, it can be read literally by those who know the Braille language. Reflecting upon intricate relations and concepts between what we know and what we see, Ghazal has developed a mature body of work. As this work re-examines the traditional Arabic Calligraphy from a very genuine, conceptual, yet, real angle, it reveals another dimension to the theme that the Galerie is prosing for this years’ Art Abu Dhabi’s edition.  

Laure Ghorayeb’s “Epopée Humaine” – Humain History - reflects the artist’s concern in the social and cultural condition of the region. The gallery will be also presenting certain letter works the fruit of Laure’s collaboration with her son Mazen Kerbaj as they have recently presented their unique version of the “Letters of the Alphabet” - twenty-six works. Four hands armed with pens, working together and at the same time. This teamwork has periodically taken place since 2006.

The discovery and the showcasing of the amazing collection of Jamil Molaeb’s 1980’s woodcuts have put forward his unique visual and graphic expression. The gallery will also be presenting vintage carved and painted wood works from that period, in addition to new works that will be presented for the first time in Abu Dhabi.

Hanibal Srouji messages of positive thinking and hope come through in his new works that combine fire and paint on canvas. Fire, a wild force that man has always needed to tame and design to use -
here, Srouji employs it as a creative marking tool. Srouji’s visual marks and compositions make a direct allusion to energy that can be employed to create build and prosper or to destroy.
“It is always a matter of choice” insists Hanibal, when presenting his works that embrace references to simple and basic elements, such as land, sea, open breathing spaces.

Alfred Tarazi’s art piece refers directly to his ongoing project of a memorial for the victims of the Lebanese Civil War. Using digital images, painting and installation, his works revolves around a meticulous historical research of that period. The work itself is a roll of 10 meters, while its stainless steel frame box allows a partial vision of the work, forcing the spectator to scroll though it to have a total vision. In spite of the particularity of the subject matter, the work remains universal and raises fundamental question about the human condition.