Water, fire, and air played starring roles in Rema Ghuloum’s latest exhibition, with most of the paintings dominated by a single element. Manam, Still Morning, and Reflection (Night), all 2024, were water-kindred paintings saturated with cobalt blue and ultramarine. Zahra, 2023–24, and Flame, 2024, were fiery, suffused with hot-pink, orange, and amber shades.Sunshine, 2022–24, felt airy, as it was predominantly yellow and far less dense than its siblings. Deep Sea, 2022–24, was divided horizontally between water and fire: Azure, green, and purple occupied the upper third, while all was ablaze below. Brushwork, paint pours, and the edges of the underlying stretcher bars were all visible on the canvas but blended into a unified visual field. This show extended the artist’s interest in creating large, abstract fields of scintillating color that stimulate not only the retina but the meat and bone, like the ringing of a gong.
Rema Ghuloum Philip Martin Gallery
Daniel Gerwin, Art Forum, 1 November 2025
