In her upcoming solo show “Timeless Traditions” at Art on 56th Gallery, Haibat Balaa Bawab reveals the
evolution in her process while maintaining the subject matter that has continued to inspire her; the city
of Beirut, Lebanon and its people, along with the scenic mountains and the country’s diverse beauty.

Beirut, January 2025 – Haibat Balaa Bawab is a Lebanese artist renowned for her pioneering work in collage art. In her pieces, namely her oil paintings additionally to her collage work, she intricately weaves narratives of Beirut, Lebanon, and its people. The city where she was born and raised continues to influence her work. Her observations of quotidian Beirut scenes inspire her to translate these impressions into a distinctive artistic style.

“This exhibition focuses on a series of mixed media collages on both cardboard and canvas, which reflect a range of subjects, memories, and daily life issues inspired by our surroundings,” Haibat Balaa Bawab states.

“These said artworks were created during a particularly turbulent period, spanning more than two years. The
war forced me to retreat to my atelier—a space of solace and escape from the harsh realities we were facing. The process of creation became an act of survival and resistance, channeling my fears and emotions into the work. The abstraction in these pieces is more pronounced than in my previous works.”

In the presence of the artist, “Timeless Traditions” will open at Art on 56th Gallery in Gemmayzeh, Beirut on 17 January 2025 between 6 and 9pm. The show is ongoing until the 8th of February, 2025.