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In her first solo exhibition in the Netherlands, Mounira Al Solh (Beirut, 1978) proves that hope, culture and stories know no bounds.
New and acclaimed work
The Bonnefanten is showing recent and new work by this versatile Lebanese-Dutch artist, who is attracting international attention. Highlights of the exhibition are the internationally acclaimed installations created by Al Solh for the Lebanese pavilion at the Venice Biennale (2024) and for the Artes Mundi prize in Cardiff (2023). Paintings, textile works and sculptures flow, churn and whirl from one room to another, in between these installations. Al Solh has created several new large-scale works especially for this mid-career exhibition.
Background
Mounira Al Solh grew up in a country torn apart by civil war. From 1975, Lebanon, home to some of the oldest civilisations in the world, has been ravaged by violence from all sides. Among other things, the war exposed the problems of (de)colonisation, fundamentalism and discrimination. Traces of this past are nearly always to be seen in Al Solh’s work.
Themes
Al Solh’s work is often a reflection of a world that bears the deep marks of oppression and abuse of power. She explores themes like individuality, migration, trauma and inequality, arising from factors like gender, origin and social class, or a combination of them. Yet her art is not weighty or depressing. Quite the contrary. It radiates zest for life, joy and humour. The exuberant colours and amusing puns make the works a feast for the eyes. The artist sees this light-heartedness as a right and as a form of resistance. She appears to be saying ‘let’s not get swept along by the waves of hate and violence’.
Mounira Al Solh, A night hour as long as night, 2023, textile on wooden structure, various dimensions. Installation view, Artes Mundi 10, 2023, The Cardiff National Museum, Cardiff, UK. Courtesy of the artist and Sfeir-Semler Gallery Beirut/Hamburg. Photo Polly Thomas.
Musical work
The work of Al Solh refuses to be pigeonholed. The artist sees herself as a collector of stories and thus flows easily between the small and personal and the collective and political. She also retains great freedom in her choice of materials and techniques. From sculpture to big installations constructed of fabric and wood, and from video to classical painting, everything is presented in an equally natural way. Yet Al Solh has a very recognisable and cohesive style: colourful and amusing, with a love of craftsmanship and material. Al Solh’s work feels like music. It is rhythmical, whirling and melodious. It makes you want to dance and to cry, just like the most beautiful love songs.
This exhibition is organised by Bonnefanten (Maastricht, The Netherlands) and Sharjah Art Foundation (Sharjah, United Arab Emirates).
The exhibition has received support from Ammodo Art.
Header: Mounira Al Solh, Silicone, Poppies and a Couple of Invisible Deffs (detail), 2022, oil and collage on canvas. Bonnefanten collection, acquired with support from de VriendenLoterij. Photo Peter Cox.