Born in 1960, Katya A.Traboulsi is a Beirut based multimedia artist whose practice is characterized by the emotional intensity with which she confronts the effects of the Lebanese civil war.
Both her painting and sculptural works are characterized by her bold use of color, which disrupts the viewer’s expectations of the dark subject matter they are confronted with.
Her creative journey drove her exploration of art galleries and exhibitions, keenly attuned to the evolving cultural landscape.
Katya Traboulsi continued to produce work in the manner of Figuration Libre in the 2000s and early 2010s, but began to engage in more pressing and political issues which she had previously avoided.
[6] Such issues included woman's rights[7] as in Forbidden Words (2006), and the Lebanese civil war in Age of Rage (2012).
The initial inspiration of this project was a gifted mortar shell sleeve from the 1975 Lebanese civil war that she had received for her birthday.
Her most recent exhibition at Saleh Barakat Gallery in Beirut, Rej3a Ya Mama (2022), largely consisted of ironworks inspired by Lebanese pick-up trucks.
Her iron creations honor Tripoli, merging abstract motifs, like florals and birds, with traditional calligraphy, conveying cultural values.
Beyond her art, Katya Traboulsi's enduring legacy extends to cultural enrichment through collaboration, commissioning, and institutional support.
In 2016, Katya returned to her roots in Beirut, where she currently resides and continues to contribute to the vibrant tapestry of the art world.