Mother of All
Mother of All
By Théreza E. Zgheib
In Artworks
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Item details:
▸ Features: Handmade Unique Piece▸ Materials: Canvas
▸ Dimensions (cm): 20.0 x 15.0 x 2.0
▸ Net Weight (kg): 1.0
"Mother of All" is an unflinching confrontation with the raw, often overlooked reality of creation, birth, and existence. The distorted, almost deity-like figure stares directly at the viewer with an intense, piercing gaze, an invitation, or perhaps a demand, to acknowledge the gruesome, painful origins from which life emerges. The composition is chaotic yet deliberate, with deep, visceral colors and layered textures that evoke both suffering and resilience.
The artist’s description—"Make eye contact with your maker, face the gruesome pain from which you come. Life, like motherhood, is not glamorous, yet we keep doing it anyway"- resonates deeply with the Embodied Realities exhibition’s theme. This piece rejects idealized depictions of motherhood, instead portraying it as an act of endurance, sacrifice, and primal force.
According to exhibition curator Dr. Pamela Chrabieh, "Mother of All" strips away the romanticized narratives surrounding creation and birth. It reminds us that embodiment is a violent, messy process, yet one we continue to embrace. The body is not just a vessel for life, it is a battlefield, a site of transformation, a paradox of agony and love.
Through this work, the artist challenges us to acknowledge the truth of our origins, the pain of existence, and the inexplicable drive to continue despite it all.
Gouache on Canvas. Production year: 2023.
About Théreza E. Zgheib
Theresa 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.