Collision

Collision is my Senior project at the American University of Lebanon.

The piece is about the world of Berkeley and the world of Beirut meeting in a common space: me. This concept is represented with eight mini-me’s that are caught between two worlds. There are eight small dead animals (a beta fighting fish, a lizard, a chicken fetus, a worm, a bird, a sardine, a turtle and a snail) that are cut in half and recombined to make a fish-lizard, worm-bird, chicken-fish, and so on. Morbid, powerful, and better recieved than I thought it would be here in Lebanon.

I will put better quality pictures of the animals up soon.

Self Portraits

Oil on canvas.

These were painted in my room, on the fourth floor of Adel Building, Hamra.

Daniel

Oil on canvas. The photo I have of Daniel is the inspiration for yet another painting.

Jeeves

Oil on canvas; fabric, cotton, thread

The painting of Jeeves (which isn’t actually yellow) was a ten minute effort to use up the paint on my pallet and the extra canvas in my locker. Two weeks later Lara Nasser shows up with a voodoo doll she has made of herself. We realize that this voodoo doll looks exactly like Jeeves. Painting and doll were exhibited in the Senior Art Show.

Body Prints

Ink, paper, my body.

A day with Body

Recipe

Ingredients:

• bed
• chair
• mirror
• Lara’s body

Prep time: 4 hours

Cook Time: 24 hours

Serves One

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Remove everything from the room except the “ingredients.” Put excess items in the closets, the hallway or the trash. Take pictures, art and flyers off the wall. Sweep, grease the room with soap, and powder with “All Purpose Cleaner.” Let the blinds down and twist until they angle upward. The room is as blank as possible.

When the room is ready peel and wash Lara’s body. Take off her clothes and jewelry and shower her thoroughly. Do not apply lotion, make-up, or deodorant. There is no marinade.

Place Lara’s body in the room at midnight and allow her to simmer for 24 to 30 hours. It is important that she not know the time, have no human contact, and only leave to pee. She will have only her mind and her body as company.

Gueniveer

A self portrait in acrylic. It is done on top of a discarded painting I found in the studio.

ET

This is my hand, plus one.

Untitled

My room mate, Colette.

Untitled

The second model.