Eram Aghbarih | It is ongoing

What I seek in art cannot be captured in a photograph or conventional drawing. The essence I pursue lies within me—in the pain I feel but cannot see. My work emerges through the body: a deep inhale, a slow exhale. Drawing, for me, is a performative act.
I use unconventional materials, such as liquid soap, acrylic paint, and water, and replace brushes with a drinking straw. Sitting before the canvas, I mix the materials in a bucket and blow air through the straw. Bubbles of paint rise, overflow, and spill onto the surface. Each mark gradually absorbs into the fabric, forming its own boundaries, receding inward, and consolidating over time.
For me, painting is a tool of deep personal connection. It creates a dialogue between my inner emotions and external reality, allowing me to shape a unique visual language—one that expresses emotional experiences I cannot translate into words.

It Is Ongoing, 2023. 6:01 min.

Eram Aghbarih (b. 2000) is a multidisciplinary artist living and working in Jatt. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts with honors from the Midrasha School of Art, Beit Berl College. She held her first solo exhibition at the Umm al-Fahm Art Museum and participated in group exhibitions at various museums and galleries across the country, presenting works that combine painting, video, installation, and performance. Her practice is characterized by the use of unconventional materials and an exploration of the body and matter as a channel for emotional and personal expression. Through diverse media, she develops a unique visual language that addresses identity, memory, and inner experience, seeking to create a dialogue between the personal and the collective, as well as between reality and imagination.

Photography: Siwar Anabossi