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Post-pregnancy contemplation in Najla El Zein’s furniture series

Lebanese designer Najla El Zein employed her emotional and physical transformation as inspiration for a new exhibition at Friedman Benda in New York.

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The dialogue between form, practical use and the variance of space is paramount to Najla El Zein’s latest body of work, on view in a solo exhibition titled “Transition” at Friedman Benda in New York City. This, her first solo show with the gallery, is the result of two years of post-pregnancy contemplation, and relates to her transformation as a mother, wife and lover. ‘The pieces talk of my personal experiences with my body,’ explains the designer from her studio in the Lebanese capital of Beirut. ‘Both the internal and physical transformation, as well as its connection – or not – to others.’

1. Najla El Zein, Distortion series, 2017-2018, on show at Friedman Benda, New York. Photo Damien Arlettaz, courtesy Friedman Benda
2. Najla El Zein, Distortion series, 2017-2018, on show at Friedman Benda, New York. Photo Damien Arlettaz, courtesy Friedman Benda
3. Najla El Zein, Distortion series, 2017-2018, on show at Friedman Benda, New York. Photo Damien Arlettaz, courtesy Friedman Benda
4. Najla El Zein, Distortion series, 2017-2018, on show at Friedman Benda, New York. Photo Damien Arlettaz, courtesy Friedman Benda
5. Najla El Zein, Distortion series, 2017-2018, on show at Friedman Benda, New York. Photo Damien Arlettaz, courtesy Friedman Benda
6. Najla El Zein, Distortion series, 2017-2018, on show at Friedman Benda, New York. Photo Damien Arlettaz, courtesy Friedman Benda
7. Najla El Zein, Distortion series, 2017-2018, on show at Friedman Benda, New York. Photo Damien Arlettaz, courtesy Friedman Benda
8. Najla El Zein, Distortion series, 2017-2018, on show at Friedman Benda, New York. Photo Damien Arlettaz, courtesy Friedman Benda
9. Najla El Zein, Distortion series, 2017-2018, on show at Friedman Benda, New York. Photo Damien Arlettaz, courtesy Friedman Benda
10. Najla El Zein, Distortion series, 2017-2018, on show at Friedman Benda, New York. Photo Damien Arlettaz, courtesy Friedman Benda
11. Najla El Zein, Distortion series, 2017-2018, on show at Friedman Benda, New York. Photo Damien Arlettaz, courtesy Friedman Benda
12. Najla El Zein, Distortion series, 2017-2018, on show at Friedman Benda, New York. Photo Damien Arlettaz, courtesy Friedman Benda
13. Najla El Zein, Fragment series, 2018, on show at Friedman Benda, New York. Photo Damien Arlettaz, courtesy Friedman Benda
14. Najla El Zein, Fragment Pillar series, 2018, on show at Friedman Benda, New York. Photo Damien Arlettaz, courtesy Friedman Benda
15. Najla El Zein, Fragment Pillar series, 2018, on show at Friedman Benda, New York. Photo Damien Arlettaz, courtesy Friedman Benda
16. Najla El Zein, Fragment Pillar series, 2018, on show at Friedman Benda, New York. Photo Damien Arlettaz, courtesy Friedman Benda
17. Najla El Zein, Fragment Pillar series, 2018, on show at Friedman Benda, New York. Photo Damien Arlettaz, courtesy Friedman Benda
18. Najla El Zein, Fragment Pillar series, 2018, on show at Friedman Benda, New York. Photo Damien Arlettaz, courtesy Friedman Benda
19. Najla El Zein, Fragment Pillar series, 2018, on show at Friedman Benda, New York. Photo Damien Arlettaz, courtesy Friedman Benda

El Zein is referring to the three collections forming “Transition”. ‘Distortion’ presents itself in the form of concrete benches alluding to a pregnant form at various stages of growth, while, in ‘Fragmented Pillar’, various cylindrical forms make up a not-quite-straight sculptural pillar that references fragility and the disruption of one’s stable foundation. El Zein explains how, because ‘Fragmented Pillar’ is constructed from sand and plaster, each element appears a little different to the other. “It has an uneven, cloudy finish,” she describes, likening it to “a bit of a confused material” that talks to the instability arising from changing circumstances.

1. Najla El Zein, Seduction, Pair 01, on show at Friedman Benda, New York. Photo Damien Arlettaz, courtesy Friedman Benda and Najla El Zein
2. Najla El Zein, Seduction series, on show at Friedman Benda, New York. Photo Damien Arlettaz, courtesy Friedman Benda and Najla El Zein
3. Najla El Zein, Seduction series, on show at Friedman Benda, New York. Photo Damien Arlettaz, courtesy Friedman Benda and Najla El Zein
4. Najla El Zein, Seduction m, on show at Friedman Benda, New York. Photo Damien Arlettaz, courtesy Friedman Benda and Najla El Zein
5. Najla El Zein, Seduction m, on show at Friedman Benda, New York. Photo Damien Arlettaz, courtesy Friedman Benda and Najla El Zein
6. Najla El Zein, Seduction m, on show at Friedman Benda, New York. Photo Damien Arlettaz, courtesy Friedman Benda and Najla El Zein
7. Najla El Zein, Seduction f, on show at Friedman Benda, New York. Photo Damien Arlettaz, courtesy Friedman Benda and Najla El Zein
8. Najla El Zein, Seduction f, on show at Friedman Benda, New York. Photo Damien Arlettaz, courtesy Friedman Benda and Najla El Zein
9. Najla El Zein, Seduction Pair 01, on show at Friedman Benda, New York. Photo Damien Arlettaz, courtesy Friedman Benda and Najla El Zein
10. Najla El Zein, Seduction Pair 01, on show at Friedman Benda, New York. Photo Damien Arlettaz, courtesy Friedman Benda and Najla El Zein
11. Najla El Zein, Seduction Pair 01, on show at Friedman Benda, New York. Photo Damien Arlettaz, courtesy Friedman Benda and Najla El Zein
12. Najla El Zein, Seduction Pair 01, on show at Friedman Benda, New York. Photo Damien Arlettaz, courtesy Friedman Benda and Najla El Zein
13. Najla El Zein, Seduction Pair 01, on show at Friedman Benda, New York. Photo Damien Arlettaz, courtesy Friedman Benda and Najla El Zein
14. Najla El Zein, Seduction Pair 01, on show at Friedman Benda, New York. Photo Damien Arlettaz, courtesy Friedman Benda and Najla El Zein
15. Najla El Zein, Seduction Pair 01, on show at Friedman Benda, New York. Photo Damien Arlettaz, courtesy Friedman Benda and Najla El Zein
16. Najla El Zein, Seduction Pair 01, on show at Friedman Benda, New York. Photo Damien Arlettaz, courtesy Friedman Benda and Najla El Zein
17. Najla El Zein, Seduction Pair 02, on show at Friedman Benda, New York. Photo Damien Arlettaz, courtesy Friedman Benda and Najla El Zein
18. Najla El Zein, Seduction Pair 02, on show at Friedman Benda, New York. Photo Damien Arlettaz, courtesy Friedman Benda and Najla El Zein
19. Najla El Zein, Seduction Pair 03, on show at Friedman Benda, New York. Photo Damien Arlettaz, courtesy Friedman Benda and Najla El Zein
20. Najla El Zein, Seduction Pair 03, on show at Friedman Benda, New York. Photo Damien Arlettaz, courtesy Friedman Benda and Najla El Zein
21. Najla El Zein, Seduction Pair 03, on show at Friedman Benda, New York. Photo Damien Arlettaz, courtesy Friedman Benda and Najla El Zein
22. Najla El Zein, Seduction Pair 03, on show at Friedman Benda, New York. Photo Damien Arlettaz, courtesy Friedman Benda and Najla El Zein
23. Najla El Zein, Seduction Pair 04, on show at Friedman Benda, New York. Photo Damien Arlettaz, courtesy Friedman Benda and Najla El Zein
24. Najla El Zein, Seduction Pair 05, on show at Friedman Benda, New York. Photo Damien Arlettaz, courtesy Friedman Benda and Najla El Zein
25. Najla El Zein, Seduction Pair 05, on show at Friedman Benda, New York. Photo Damien Arlettaz, courtesy Friedman Benda and Najla El Zein

The ‘Seduction’ series of benches (one piece of which has been acquired by the Dallas Museum of Art for its permanent collection) is a story of human connection in its varying degrees. Its sculpted forms reference introversion and disconnection, as well as seduction and desire.

Read also: KAWS x Campana
  • Transition
  • Najla El Zein
  • Friedman Benda
  • 28 February – 13 April 2019
  • 515 W 26th St, New York
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