Zena el Khalil (Lebanese, b. 1976)

'The objects of violence hold a lot of power. It takes a lot of work to sort them out. The more layers I use, the safer the world becomes. I want to suffocate fear through love'
(Z. el Khalil, quoted in http:/www.khaleejesque.com).

Artist Zena el Khalil confronts her Lebanese heritage utilising her artworks to question structure and stability amidst a framework of
political and socio-economic contradictions. In Don't Call Me Baby, she uses layered elements of photocopied images, faux flowers and
baubles on sequined material background to create a kitsch yet violent portrayal of a female fighter shooting her gun into the unknown. With her abundant use of the colour pink, she renders the scene child-like in its seemingly innocent and whimsical portrayal, de-contextualising the root of violence to render it almost humorous in its absurdity. Injecting love as a way to negate the negative, her satirical technique provides an intelligent and insightful view into the new generation of the Lebanese youth who have grown accustomed to the continuous presence of war and political turmoil and treat it as a customary aspect of daily life.