The Solo Exibition
Rima Chahine, the self-taught Canadian-bred and internationally-based artist with Lebanese roots, recently showcased her solo exhibition ‘Emotions’ at the Andakulova Gallery in Dubai in late April 2019. The exhibition featured 10-15 works that reflected Chahine’s instinctual, automatic creation process, which she describes as mood music, life and surroundings combining to create figure-free canvases. These paintings embody a journey through her life, portraying her ups and downs, and the emotions that she has felt up until now.
In Colour And Intuition: Rima Chahine’s New Solo Exhibition In Dubai
Chahine’s abstract, richly hued compositions are produced with strokes embodying “fearlessness, aggression and an impressionistic style”, and are unmistakably gestural and emotionally evocative. Engaging layered acrylics that reference the seasonal and autumnal palette of her Montreal home, color manipulation proves a tool for Chahine to explore the sentient nuances of experiences that have peppered her life, further utilized as a vehicle in which to connect with the emotional cores of others.
“I am good at understanding the psychology of people, and it is reflected in my art,”
Rima Chahine, ‘Volcano Heart’, 2018, Acrylic on canvas, 100 x 100cm. Courtesy of the artist
“I am good at understanding the psychology of people, and it is reflected in my art,” she shares. By spending time with people, Chahine is able to tap into and relate through her own sentiments, but also the shades and needs of others. This has allowed her to take her practice beyond the canvas and adopt a more “turnkey” role, pairing the right painting with the right collector, as well as within the right space. Each painting has a message, a name, and an interior,” remarks Chahine.
Chahine believes firmly in the symbolic value of her paintings and works hard in both practical and philosophical means to make sure her personalized interpretations find the right homes. “I create a lifestyle through taste,” she asserts, and dedicates efforts towards ensuring that the artworks are exhibited to their best capacity in order to unleash the full spiritual potential within them and their collectors. “I’m about going beyond what the material world gives us,” continues Chahine. “I believe in the positive and doing things that uplift you.”
Rima Chahine, ‘New Earth’, 2018, Acrylic on canvas, 120 x 150cm. Courtesy of the artist
The paintings showcased in ‘Emotions’ encapsulate Chahine’s method of instinctual, automatic creation, wherein the final works may not quite match initial assumptions, but the essence and heart of the works are always established early and resonate as a firm through line throughout the execution. “The end result is always already a finished story, so even though we should live super instinctively—we shouldn’t live with calculated moves because the best decisions are the ones that come from deep inside—the finished paintings always have a very clear meaning,” elaborates Chahine.
Chahine’s exhibition ‘Emotions’ was a celebration of her journey in painting and how it continues to evolve, using her paintings as a means to communicate the ineffable and a medium for human connection. Her works evoke emotions with vivid colors and bold brushstrokes, encouraging viewers to reflect on their own experiences and emotions, and to embrace the beauty of life. Through her personalized approach to each piece, Chahine is able to create a lifestyle through taste, pairing each painting with the right collector, and exhibiting them to their fullest potential.