The Impermanence of States
Hiba Kalache, The Impermanence Of States, 2014, archival acrylic and permanent inks, aquarelle and glitter on paper
On several occasions in the course of her life Hiba Kalache had to leave her family home in Beirut behind. Possibly this sense of “uprootedness” and the experience of translating different cultural layers through the prism of her identity and personal experiences has led to her powerful, emotionally layered works.
Hiba Kalache, I Ate My Own Placenta, 2017
Deceptively delicate and light at first glance, her art delves into issues ranging from the geopolitics of the Middle East, to female desire, to childhood memories of a hometown torn by war.
Hiba Kalache, Ripe Anguish, 2013, archival acrylic ink, lacquer, and aquarelle on paper
Perceiving her works through the prism of whatever makes “me” me, I sense that the life-affirming pastels balanced with darker colours and difficult subjects are like the human condition - an infinite conversation between the unthinkable and the beautiful, often co-existing at the same moment in time.
Hiba Kalache, Therefore the most profound thought is a beating heart, diptych, 2017
Hiba Kalache (b. 1972) is an internationally exhibited multimedia artist who lives and works between San Francisco and Beirut. You can see more of Kalache’s art on her website at https://hibakalache.com