Simone Fattal's Watercolours Exhibition at Heni Publishing in London Reveals Symbolic Trees and War Memories

Simone Fattal's watercolour exhibition at Heni Publishing in London from 30 November to 7 January 2018 presents works that initially appear childlike but carry deep symbolic meaning. The Lebanese artist, known for ceramic sculptures of abstract human forms, instead focuses on trees and houses in these paintings, with human figures notably absent. Trees dominate the compositions, which Fattal explains in conversation with curator Hans Ulrich Obrist as protective symbols against devastation, referencing her exile from Beirut during the 1980 civil war. Her childhood memories of Damascus as a 'lost paradise' inform the works, with fruit appearing throughout as symbols of paradise from the Quran. Fattal studied philosophy in Paris and Beirut, describing her approach as phenomenological, though the overall mood reflects Matisse-like delight and Fauvist influences with sunny tones and dabbing brushstrokes. The palette echoes her partner Etel Adnan's work, and she cites Paul Klee as an important influence. Most works maintain an optimistic tone, except for a cluster at the show's end including 'Days of sorrow' (2012), which uses browns and charcoal fragments to suggest explosions and rubble. These mixed-media pieces contrast sharply with the prevailing warmth. Early pastel drawings of trees that preceded these watercolours were lost during the Lebanese conflict. The exhibition was reviewed in the January & February 2018 issue of ArtReview.