An Article by D. M. (839 words, 4 min. read)
Stepping into Fragment of a Journey, the latest solo exhibition by Lebanese artist Fatat Bahmad at Maya Art Space in downtown Beirut, feels like entering a dream woven from color, memory, and emotion. The walls come alive with bursts of oil pigment, and each canvas tells its own tender story. Here, art is not just seen, it is felt. With this exhibition, Bahmad has not merely painted landscapes; she has painted belonging, memory, and the sacred bond between a person and their land.
A Life Rooted in Art and the South
Born in Beirut in 1973, Bahmad’s personal journey is intimately tied to the landscapes of Southern Lebanon. Her early years were shaped by both creativity and conflict; finding solace as a child in crafting forms from buttons and thread. In these small, quiet gestures of creation, she began building the artistic language that now blooms fully in her work. After studying painting at the Lebanese University and earning a Master’s degree in Education, she cultivated a distinct visual voice; one rooted in Impressionism and Expressionism, but with a warmth and vitality uniquely her own.
Color as a Bridge Between Land and Emotion
Bahmad’s paintings are instantly captivating. They burst with life, with lush fields, rolling hills, wild gardens, and sunlit windows all rendered in expressive brushstrokes that radiate joy. But more than mere depictions, her works are emotional landscapes—interpretations of what it feels like to remember a place, to carry it with you, to return to it again and again in your heart. With her vivid palette and textured layers, she doesn’t simply show the South, she brings it into the gallery, inviting us all to walk its paths and breathe its air.
Between Two Worlds: Beirut and Kfar Melki
Though she now lives between Beirut and the southern village of Kfar Melki, Bahmad’s heart remains firmly rooted in the South. It is her muse and her sanctuary, a wellspring of memories and sensations that she translates into visual poetry. The viewer senses it immediately: this is art born of love. The kind of love that sees not only beauty, but meaning in the smallest details: a blooming potted plant on a windowsill, the tilt of a garden chair, the way afternoon light spills onto a table.
A Joyful Immersion in Everyday Wonder
There’s a generosity in Bahmad’s work, a desire to share the joy of the world as she sees it. This is perhaps why her paintings feel so immersive. They don’t merely hang on the wall; they surround you, drawing you into their warmth. The reds, ochres, greens, and blues pulse with energy, but never overwhelm. Her compositions feel intuitive, almost musical, with rhythm and movement guiding the eye gently from one element to the next.
The Meaning Behind the Title
Titled Fragment of a Journey, the exhibition is more than a name: it is a revelation. Each painting is a fragment, a piece of a larger story, a glimpse into a life marked by both beauty and longing. The title speaks of memory in motion, of moments both fleeting and eternal. Bahmad captures that delicate in-between space where past and present coexist—where nostalgia becomes a form of resistance, and color becomes a way of preserving what is precious.
Color as Soul Language
There is something deeply emotional, almost spiritual, about her use of color. It is not simply aesthetic, but alive with meaning. In her hands, color is a language of the soul, a way to speak of things that cannot be spoken, only felt. As one poetic reflection on her work beautifully puts it: “She does not depict the scene, she investigates it. She proposes parallel states of being, without betraying the original, and without clinging to it.” Indeed, Bahmad’s paintings transcend realism. They are not confined by geography or architecture—they are visions of hope, framed in bold strokes and luminous hues.
A Gentle Act of Resistance Through Beauty
In a world where contemporary art often leans toward the cynical or conceptual, Bahmad’s work is refreshingly sincere. It does not seek to shock or provoke, but to heal. It reminds us of the power of beauty; not as decoration, but as nourishment. Her art is a salve for the soul, a reminder that joy and tenderness are radical in their own right.
An Invitation to Wander South
For anyone longing for a sense of peace, for a reconnection with the land, or simply for a moment of stillness amidst the noise, Fragment of a Journey offers a refuge. It is an exhibition that will make you pause, breathe, and remember the quiet pleasures of light, color, and earth.
We invite you to visit Maya Art Space in downtown Beirut and experience this luminous collection for yourself. Let Fatat Bahmad take you on a journey—one painted in fragments, but remembered as a whole. Let her colors carry you south, to the heart of Lebanon, and perhaps to the heart of yourself.
