‘The Texture of Water’ invites viewers to transcend the familiar and venture into an unknown realm. This journey is not just a simple escape from the city but a deeper, personal reflection on living in the present moment. Rim El Jundi, a self-proclaimed city girl and hybrid, captures the essence of life as it flows by, whether she is here, there, or in transit, always anchored in Lebanon. Her thoughts often dwell on escape, migration, and movement, which influence her work.
Currently, El Jundi focuses on a small parcel of land in the village of Aamchit, a sanctuary centred around a swimming pool. This secluded world is depicted in vivid, hot slices of blue, devoid of the wider world. El Jundi finds fascination in water’s illusory texture, which she describes as deceitful, borrowing the texture of its surroundings to create an illusion. This quality draws her in, as she explores the slippery nature of water in her paintings.
A friend of the artist observed that despite the abundance of trees in her work, concrete is a prevalent element. This observation reflects the duality in El Jundi’s art, where nature and urban elements coexist. Her paintings capture slices of life around the pool: friends playing cards, a woman swimming, children lounging, and sunbathers basking in the sun. The pool, paved with blue mosaics, becomes a transformative space, giving the water its colour and restoring El Jundi’s spirit.
About Rim El Jundi
Rim El Jundi, born in Beirut in 1965, graduated from the Lebanese American University in 1991 with a BA in Fine Arts and earned a Diploma of Higher Studies in Sacred Art from the University of Holy Spirit in Kaslik in 2007. Her first solo show was in 1992. Notable exhibitions include the Ashkal Alwan Sanayeh Garden Exhibition (1995), the Massafa-Designers Gallery in Kuwait (1997), and the Maraya Gallery (1998-2003). In 2005, she exhibited at the Vermont Studio Center in the U.S. Other solo exhibitions at Janine Rubeiz Gallery include “Resurrection” (2015), “Family Tree” (2012), “Men” (2010), and “Road to the Airport” (2008).
Location: Agial Art Gallery
Date: 1- 31 August 2024