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Home / Zurich Art Fair 2025 / Exhibitor

Galerie Agénor

Switzerland

The Galerie Agénor in Zurich presents the Lebanese artist Ribal Molaeb, esteemed for his performances as a concert and orchestral musician on the viola.
Molaeb's proficiency in painting is manifest in his subtle interplay of colour nuances, facilitated by an extensive colour repertoire. The artist's oeuvre encapsulates the essence of life and the earth, distinguished by a profound sense of calm that captures the perfect balance between earth and sky.

Having spent his formative years in Lebanon, Molaeb subsequently relocated to Salzburg at the age of 17, and later to Vienna, where he graduated with honours from the University of Music and Performing Arts. From an early age, he received instruction from his father, the renowned artist Jamil Molaeb, and drew inspiration from the works of 20th-century Lebanese abstract expressionists such as Etel Adnan, Aref el Rayes and Shafic Abboud.

The compositional, harmonic and melodic aspects of Molaeb's oeuvre are musically inspired, and his works are characterised by dynamic compositions that stand out for their precise distribution of colour and form. Ribal Molaeb's comprehension of classical music's harmony facilitates the creation of paintings with sophisticated abstract compositions.

Curatorial Statement: "Fleeting Light" by Ribal Molaeb

In the captivating exhibition "Fleeting Light," we invite you to a journey into the abstract realm of Lebanese artist Ribal Molaeb, whose works offer a poetic exploration of the ephemeral nature of existence. Through the artistry of strong oil colours, Molaeb crafts a collection of minimalistic and abstract expressionist paintings that speak to the transitory moments in our lives - those delicate instances that illuminate the fragility of our emotions and the fleeting nature of time.
Each painting in this exhibition embodies the essence of light - its luminosity, its subtle shifts, and its ever-changing presence. Molaeb does not depict light in a literal sense; rather, he evokes its feeling through the interplay of colour, form, and texture. The use of oil colours enables him to create layers that suggest movement and depth, reflecting the complexity of our emotions and experiences. Viewers are drawn into his abstract compositions, where colours weave together like memories, capturing the essence of moments that are beautiful yet temporary.
"Fleeting Light" serves as a meditation on the impermanence of life. Ribal's minimalistic approach strips away unnecessary detail, allowing the viewer to engage with the core sensations of light and feeling. In doing so, he invites us to contemplate how our emotions - joy, sorrow, clarity, and confusion - are interconnected and transitory, often fading before we can fully grasp or understand them.
Ribal Molaeb's work invites introspection, encouraging us to acknowledge that in the elegance of transience lies a profound resonance.

See more of this gallery here: Presentation 2024