Art therapy in an explosion of color 
Self-taught painter, Khalil Mufarrij seems to use every hue imaginable in his works, By Natalie Fox - The Daily Star

BEIRUT; Khalil Mufarrij has been a painter since 1998, but "Evolution," nowadays up at Surface Libre Gallery, is his first public exhibition. These 36 acrylic-on-canvas works leap out at you as soon as you walk into the gallery.

Mufarrij has used every color imaginable in these abstract paintings. They differ in size, but each is as likely as the next to leave an impression.

"There are neither straight lines nor geometric forms" in these paintings, writes prolific Lebanese artist Cesar Nammour in his biography of Mufarrij, "only the dynamic energy of color.

"His colors are often loud, exhibiting physical turbulence as if he is tackling the chaos of his subconscious to let out his buried impulses and find himself through the process of painting, until his painting becomes himself."

Mufarrij began his studies in political science, and he graduated with a BA in that discipline from the American University of Beirut in 1973. Before he completed his degree he'd been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

His illness worsened through the years, dampening his committed political activism and love of travel. His condition also prevented Mufarrij from visiting his exhibition at Surface Libre.

Mufarrij's talent is innate and his artistic techniques self-taught, though he says he's read extensively of art books. The painting has become therapeutic for Mufarrij, who used to present his work as gifts to friends and family.

"I never wanted to exhibit my work," he says. "I didn't take it seriously and I wasn't interested in the materialistic side of the art world."

Friends like Nammour disagreed and insisted that the public should see his work. The painter's exposure to the art scene has been gradual and received a major boost in 2010 when Nammour published the artist's biography "Khalil Mufarrij."

"Painting is my life now. I cannot do without it," Mufarrij says. The paintings" are my children and I paint each one from the bottom of my heart." 
Each work in "Evolution" is a visually pleasant surprise. Individual works incorporate a variety of techniques to create distinctive textures and visual effects.

Acrylic paint, Mufarrij explains, is dry and not glossy, so "I try my best to expose it and give it more life."

The artist also uses different tools, augmenting his brushes and knives with tree branches, wall-painting brushes and the like. He sometimes applies paint directly from the tube.

"Jiji" (80x80 cm) is one instance where the swirls and layers of paint are generously applied in some areas, making it appear still wet and giving it a mother-of-pearl sheen. In others, the paint has been scraped across the surface to reveal the canvas.

"Evolution' represents the after-life," says Mufarrij, "a better place than this life but not one that is materialistic or extra-terrestrial. The paintings deal with the spirit of God but also not in the traditional religious sense."

"Life on Planet X" (100x120cm) is an example of such a work. It also demonstrates the artist's unusual application of metallic, fluorescent and glitter paint.

Mufarrif says he tries to complete one painting per week, and he explains that he does not have an original plan for each painting. As he begins to apply the paint, rather, he develops and pieces together the final picture.

"I use the colors I feel like using and I allow myself to have maximum freedom when I start mixing the colors," says Mufarrij, who believes that he must be honest with his feelings and not attempt to imitate other painters.

"When I finish the painting, I listen to it to see what it will tell me, and only then will I title the painting, according to what it means to me." The artist acknowledges that not everyone is bound to his interpretation and that they can make of his work what they will.

"I always start out with the intention of using only a couple of colors on a painting," adds Mufarrij. Well, in more ways than one, "Evolution" is certainly proof that things don't always go as planned.