By Amal Issa 
The ART DISTRICT gallery in Gemmayze invites visitors to engage deeply with the painterly language of survival in Ali Chamsedine’s solo exhibition “Light in the Shadows of Ruin.” The show runs from September 25 to October 11, 2025.
Chamsedine, who graduated from the Lebanese University in 1982 and has worked across painting, illustration and design for decades, transforms trauma into luminous abstractions. According to the Beirut.com article, he uses vivid colours and geometric forms to turn personal and collective tragedies into moving works of art. Rather than falling for spectacle, he focuses on the meditative power of art to process survival and resilience. His career has spanned numerous roles — he founded the Fekrah Foundation, contributed illustrations to Lebanese newspapers and publications, and has received awards such as the UNESCO Award and the Sharjah International Book Award. His latest series demonstrates how a seasoned artist can channel a lifetime of experience into paintings that reward contemplation.
Our take: Chamsedine’s thoughtful explorations of ruin and light highlight the meditative power of art and invite viewers to slow down and engage with the layers of meaning behind each composition.