Most artists would be over the moon if their work featured in renowned British collector Charles Saatchi’s collection. Not Zeina Assi. She was unaware of the fact that one of her works was in his possession until I mentioned it to her. Assi works from a ground floor studio in Zalka, east of Beirut, but most of her work focuses on the capital and its urban chaos replete with crammed buildings, electricity wires and laundry on balconies. Each floor of each building in the city tells a different story and this is what Assi attempts to portray. Beirut evolves rapidly, inspiring Assi to continuously adapt her work. Tall structures replace older buildings; whilst the city’s demographics are changing too as it is becomes less accessible to some Beirutis who find themselves compelled to reside in the more affordable suburbs. Her paintings are often a reflection of how changing politics and
Maya is a research consultant on Arab youth entrepreneurship and employment. She headed Executive's banking, finance and entrepreneurship sections from 2011 to 2013. Previously, she worked at JP Morgan in London in equity sales for three years. She holds an MSc in Accounting and Finance from the London School of Economics (LSE) and a BA in Economics from the American University of Beirut (AUB).
