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helen zughaib
About the Artist
Helen Zughaib (b. 1959, Beirut, Lebanon) is a multifaceted painter who lives and works in Washington, DC. Her practice seeks to forge an empathic relationship between artist and viewer and develop a shared space where they can engage in difficult conversations. Zughaib obtained her BFA at Syracuse University, New York, where she began to hone her skills in working with gouache; this type of water-based paint gives a graphic quality well suited to her style and has become her signature medium. She also uses materials such as wood, shoes and textiles, and creates mixed media installations.
Her work can be found in both private and public collections globally. Examples include: the Arab American National Museum, Detroit; the American Embassy, Baghdad; the Library of Congress, Washington DC; the US Consulate General, Vancouver; and the White House, Washington DC.
Many of Zughaib’s subjects are women and children, representing those who are ‘faced with picking up the pieces of their shattered lives’ in the aftermath of war and violence. Colour and pattern are both extremely significant in the artist’s work; her intricate scenes give her narratives increased momentum, directly summoning the viewer to engage with and respond to the circumstances of her characters.
Helen Zughaib. Courtesy the artist
WORKS IN THE COLLECTION
Helen Zughaib, "Escape in January", 2017
Gouache on paper, 50.8 × 76.2 cm
Courtesy the artist and Artscoops Beirut
Escape in January (2017) is a testament to Zughaib’s use of colour, aesthetics and geometric patterns to convey emotion. The protagonist lies alone, gazing directly at the viewer. Her reclining pose and the ornate decor strongly allude to orientalist and stereotypical representations of the Middle East.
The viewer’s eye cannot help but trace the twisting corridors, staircases and opposing motifs which frame the room. The artist plays with symmetry and space, revealing rooms in the background and yet obscuring them with staircases and semi-closed curtains to create a sense of disorientation.
The piece’s wintery palette evokes an atmosphere of contemplation; the viewer is invited to speculate on how the complex interior architecture could provide any way of escape.