Samia Osseiran Junblatt steeped herself in Western art theory in Europe and then went East to explore a completely different philosophy centred on power through simplicity and subtlety. In Sunset (1968), Osseiran paints a narrow, elongated path stretching vertically across the canvas, leaving room for a setting sun on the restricted sky. Among the multitude of lines following the traditional single-point perspective, one single curvy line shatters the illusion of perfection. This subtle curviness within an otherwise rigid geometric rendering infuses an organic feel into the abstract landscape. Osseiran skilfully manipulates perspective and geometry, immersing the viewer in a captivating experience in which they are left contemplating whether what they behold is merely a landscape. Her earthy tones are simultaneously vibrant and grounded. Her play of light and shadow comes from no single light source, as if each object emits its own radiance. The sunset, which is by nature quick and fleeting, stands in stark contrast to the path below, where time itself seems to linger.
This is the first time the work of Samia Osseiran Junblatt is presented at Biennale Arte.
—Fadia Antar
