ARTIST BENBELA ABOUNASSIF
Abounassif
Benbela Abounassif
Studio · Caracas
Benbela Abounassif was born in Caracas to Lebanese parents and works between Venezuela and Beirut. His paper and cardboard reliefs are built from precise incisions that come alive when light moves across them. The shadows transform without control. He traces his lineage to Cruz-Diez and Soto, the great masters of Venezuelan kinetic and Op art, and finds the same restless truth: that movement and light are one, and so are the object and its shadow.
Besides being inspired by Venezuelan masters in kinetic and Op art such as Cruz-Diez and Soto, the deepest inspiration comes from within. He has always had an urge for perfection and control of his surroundings, and in his work he can achieve that. But what truly excites him is the moment when light hits the piece and the shadow begins to change, creating shapes of its own, constantly transforming without any control.
Benbela Abounassif Besides being inspired and influenced by our Venezuelan masters in kinetic art and Op art like Cruz-Diez and Soto among others, I am influenced by my inner side. I always had the urge for perfection and somehow control of my surroundings, and in my work I can achieve that. But what amazes me and also gets me excited is the part where natural or artificial light hits the art piece all of a sudden and in front of my eyes I can see how with its own shadow it starts changing, creating shapes and forms of its own. Every time the light is moved in different directions the shadows seem to transform themselves without any control. That's how our inner self is: constantly changing. It's somehow amazing to let go and let it all flow.
Benbela Abounassif My creative process is defined by the constant changes within me and my surroundings.
Benbela Abounassif The art world has gone through big and dramatic changes this last year and thankfully through social media we have been able to amplify our horizon. Speaking from my experience, several galleries from different countries have contacted me to work together, something that didn't happen much before. I believe the art world is now more connected globally and that gives artists the chance to showcase their work in places we never imagined before.
In the search for the perfect line and geometric angle when I construct my pieces, the objective of my work is to show the dichotomy that exists between the object and its shadow. The incisions I make on the material I use, whether it is paper or cardboard, my preferred recyclable medium, fill me with immense joy as I observe the shapes that are born on my canvas as a product of my imagination and constant research.
In developing many tests and models until reaching the perfect form, I find the point where the line and angle coincide to create a striking visual effect. This effect comes into motion when the viewer perceives it from different angles, thus movement and light become one, as do the object and its shadow. The object cannot detach itself from its shadow. The two are one, and for me that observation is an essential quality of attention when analyzing my work.
"The object cannot detach itself from its shadow. The two are one."
Benbela Abounassif
