Le Corbeau et le Regard: Beyrouth en Motifs II, Dyala Khodary

Le Corbeau et le Regard: Beyrouth en Motifs II

Art on 56th presents Le Corbeau et le Regard: Beyrouth en Motifs II, a solo exhibition featuring the works of Lebanese artist, Dyala Khodary. The exhibition delves into the exploration of urban landscapes, offering glimpses of Beirut’s distinct architecture that seamlessly blends the old and the new, the functional and the aesthetic, and the authentic and the cosmetic.

Khodary’s artworks in this series experiment with depicting cityscapes from unconventional angles, playing with viewers’ perceptions of place and time. Despite the absence of human figures, the paintings evoke a sense of inhabited spaces, capturing fleeting traces of life. Consequently, the artworks are simultaneously unsettling and captivating, serving as a remarkable homage to the authentic essence of Beirut.

The exhibition’s title draws inspiration from the renowned fable by Jean de la Fontaine, “Le Corbeau et le Renard,” which imparts wisdom and humility. Khodary transforms this tale into a visual narrative centered around Beirut’s architectural elements—a city characterised by contradictions. The artist primarily focuses on two architectural features:

1. The corbel (corbeau): Symbolising traditional Lebanese architecture, the corbel serves as a support structure for balcony openings, facilitating access to the outside world.
2. The manhole (regard): Representing covered openings on the roads, manholes offer access to what lies beneath. Metaphorically, they embody hope and the possibility of escape, even during challenging times.

Khodary emphasises the charm inherent in these urban vistas, where heritage transforms into something ephemeral, and beauty can be discovered in unexpected places. Through her paintings, she immortalises a city in flux, juxtaposing the decay of historical patrimony with the progression of modernity—a tribute to Lebanon’s fading markers of its illustrious past, the Golden Age.

Location: Art on 56th

Duration: June 8 – July 1, 2023