Bey-Root: Hors Sens, Hors Temps

I saw a tree, I drew Beirut.

The explosion of August 4th left Beirut stunned, afraid, inflamed, enraged, and sorrowful. It’s not the first time. Its roots are deeply anchored in a painful history that keeps repeating itself. But Beirut, "Bey-root," has other, stronger roots. She survives disasters, exhumes courage and tenderness, and implores love and peace. Just like a tree, Beirut stands tall, absorbing evil but never succumbing. She breathes, welcomes, observes, and endures. This drawing represents not only the explosion but also the city’s unhealed past, the unspoken truths, the forbidden knowledge of its history, and the avoidance of remembering. Yet, like the tree, it is also a symbol of strength in the face of storms.

There’s a soul in every tree and a story waiting to be discovered.” Maria’s time is suspended when she connects with the trees. She eventually draws the narratives of emotions, attitudes, and anatomy of human bodies revealed within trunks of trees. Each unique piece is based on an actual tree observed by Maria. Every drawing becomes a dialogue between two worlds. The first is the inner human world with its thoughts and emotions. The second is the outer world, whether the human body, Nature, or the outer projections of the human mind onto it. Each story either blurs or clears the boundaries between them.

Production year: 2020.
Drawing with black ink pen on drawing pad, acid free, unframed.