Nabil Nahas's Dual Realms: Landscapes and Fractals at Lawrie Shabibi

Lawrie Shabibi in Dubai presents 'Tethys', a solo exhibition by Lebanese-American artist Nabil Nahas, running until January 5, 2024. The show juxtaposes two distinct series created simultaneously: the Landscapes series (2022-23) and the ongoing Fractal series (2003–ongoing). Born in Beirut in 1949, Nahas studied at Yale under Abstract Expressionist Al Held and was active in 1970s New York. His Landscapes depict Lebanon's emblematic trees—cedar, olive, palm—as expressive portraits, with olive trees symbolizing Palestinian national identity and cedars blurred to reflect Lebanon's compromised state. Three monumental works feature charred branches against a night sky, a visceral response to the August 2020 Beirut port explosion. In contrast, the Fractal series uses an 'encrusted' technique with acrylic and pumice stone to create three-dimensional surfaces inspired by marine life and scuba diving. These works, including pieces with starfish from a Long Island beach, offer escapism and dual scale. The exhibition reveals Nahas's dual affiliation as Lebanese-American, merging geometric and chromatic qualities from Islamic art and nature.