Bea Lamar: Open Studio

About

The culmination of an intensive and deeply introspective residency is upon us, marking a period of significant artistic development and exploration for artist in residence Bea Lamar. An open studio event is set to showcase the impactful works crafted over the last three months, reflecting on themes of grief, endurance, and the complex interplay between art and human experience during the genocide.

About the Artist's Work:

Throughout their residency, Bea Lamar has delved into the profound depths of human sorrow and grief, in a televised and streamed unending genocide. One perspective of this exploration is the concept of 'Thakla'—a poignant term describing the indescribable pain of a mother who has lost her child. This term, deeply embedded in Levantine culture, has no direct translation in English, yet it encompasses a world of grief and loss that the artist strives to give voice to through their art.

Artist's Statement:

As my residency draws to a close, I am compelled to share the journey that has unfolded in the residency studio. The work I've been creating dives into the heart of what it means to witness, endure, and artistically interpret the enormity of loss felt by those in the throes of genocide. It's been a period marked by deep reflection on the nature of grief, the process of mourning, and the role of the art process in navigating the spaces between presence and helplessness.

Join me for this open studio on March 30th, from 1-3 PM, or by appointment from March 26th to April 2nd, to explore these themes together. This is an invitation into a dialogue—a shared space of empathy, understanding, and, perhaps, healing. Through the lens of my residency's work, I seek to bridge the gap between the personal and collective experiences of loss, to bear witness to the stories that are too often silenced, and to question our roles in the face of such overwhelming sorrow.

My art practice since the start of the genocide has been a vulnerable reflection on loss, an attempt to navigate the guilt of helplessness, and process the insurmountable unbearable suffering inflicted. Too many questions, yet I must simply show up to confront my limitations as an artist and a human being.