Dementia

Théreza E. Zgheib is a 21-year-old artist on the autism spectrum, living independently near her university with her two cats. Entirely self-taught, she has been drawing and painting for over a decade, though she has long been reluctant to share her work. After experiencing the dehumanizing nature of corporate jobs, she realized she would rather create meaningful art than contribute to a system that thrives on empty advertising. Her goal is to produce work that demands presence and contemplation rather than something passively consumed in a social media feed.

Working primarily with acrylic on canvas, Zgheib explores themes of disconnection, bodily alienation, and the unsettling experience of being a spectator in one’s own life. Her work captures the horror of existence in a decaying body—one that feels more like an ill-fitting costume than a home. She draws inspiration from psychedelic rock, bones found in the woods, religious iconography, nightmares, the voices in her mind, her cats, and above all, pomegranates—objects she collects and keeps close for their strange sense of comfort.

For Zgheib, this exhibition is more than an opportunity to display her work—it is a search for kindred spirits. She seeks those who see beyond social performance, those who don’t attend funerals out of obligation but because they cannot bear to let someone grieve alone. No matter the space offered, even a small wall near the bathroom, she is simply grateful for the chance to be seen.