by David Zimmerman
Much of Ribal Molaeb’s oil on canvas paintings, exhibited recently at Artifact Projects, appear carefully constructed, yet this construction carries a sense of tentativeness and contingency. Through this approach, the artist elegantly conveys a profound truth: that the universe, though seemingly still, is inherently unpredictable, constantly shifting and transforming. Molaeb’s work invites us to consider this elemental condition of existence—one that finds balance not through stillness, but through internal counter-harmonies. Each piece radiates a delicate compositional equilibrium, suggesting a fleeting moment of calm amid constant change.
This ephemeral pause, though poetically imbued with hints of emptiness and subdued energy, nonetheless communicates a deep tension—a quiet struggle woven into the fabric of each work. The pieces linger in a state of suspension, offering a visual metaphor for a psyche caught between earth and sky, poised between opposing forces and divergent identities.
As we examine Molaeb’s paintings more closely, we are drawn in by the uncanny harmony of his color choices, which breathe life into the spatial planes. It is his ability to locate that figurative Archimedean point—a perceptual fulcrum that disrupts our visual expectations—that truly astonishes. This power to transform ordinary materials into something transcendent marks the essence of great artistry. It is the ultimate goal of art: to recognize boundaries only to surpass them through the imagination.
Molaeb’s work may be seen as a dialogue between two mirrors—imagination and reality—facing each other, creating a space in between where reflection becomes habitation. He speaks passionately through subtle yet bold articulations of the self’s journey toward centeredness. At the heart of his revelatory artistic practice lies a profound reconciliation of opposites.
David Zimmerman is a regular contributor to Artery living and working in Manhattan.
Tags: review, exhibition, art & culture