Agial Art Gallery presents a solo exhibition by Rola El Hussein titled ‘Because the Grass Doesn’t Think About Its Garden’ from May 30th until June 29th, 2024.
In the past year, Rola El Hussein has transitioned from small-scale, everyday scenes to larger, more elaborate narratives. Her art has evolved from intimate moments involving coffee cups, trees, and discarded sandals to depicting a sensual, outdoor love story set in a lush garden under her sky. Beneath the surface of her latest works, stories unfold subtly: a foot is laced into a transparent shoe, and layers of meaning build playfully. Two tongues entwine, suggesting erotic play, yet these tongues are disembodied, detached from mouths or faces, focusing more on the visual interplay than the emotion of contact or desire.
Born in 1978, Rola El Hussein graduated from the Lebanese University of Fine Arts in 2002. She spent many years abroad before returning to Lebanon three years ago to focus on her painting. Her work often reflects her introverted nature through the intimate objects she surrounds herself with. Her latest exhibition, her second solo show, showcases a more sarcastic side, revealing a daring sensitivity and freedom in her playful exploration of anatomy and surrounding objects. Her approach is layered and transparent and revels in the playful possibilities of canvas, paper, paint, colour, and line.
In addition to her visual art, Rola is an accomplished novelist and poet. She has published two novels and four poetry collections, with her latest, ‘The Planet of Short Times,’ released in 2023 by Dar Al Nahda Al Arabia. She also contributes regularly to several websites.
Location: Agial Art Gallery, Beirut.
Dates: 30 May– 29 June, 2024
