Lebanon is a country built upon dichotomies. It is a blend of cultures, poised at the intersection between the Western and the Arab worlds. Born in Beirut and living in the West, photographer Rania Matar is especially attuned to those dichotomies. Here she honors the lives of women and children in evocative black-and-white photographs that acknowledge the undeniable presence of war and tragedy yet celebrate the strength, dignity, and humanity of lives lived amidst the rubble, in refugee camps, or behind the veil. The images are universal, powerful yet intimate reminders of the tender bond between a mother and child, the cheerful camaraderie of friends, and the resilience of the human spirit.

Rania Matar was raised in Lebanon and moved to the US in 1984. Her work has been exhibited in numerous museums in the USA and is part of a number of important public and private collections.

6th – 26th November 2009