In this Room

Painted and stitched fabrics comprised of 4 panels , 63 cm x 69 cm each (25 in x 27 in each), 2024

This work is inspired by loss and displacement-laden memories of Bejani’s mother’s house in Haifa, which she had to flee in 1948. Her mother seldom spoke about it as her family was busy establishing a new life, but she once did a quick sketch and recalled that the home overlooked the Mediterranean and stood on Stanton Street. Unable to find the exact location on a map of Maroun Tomb’s beloved Haifa, Bejani’s work resurrects these memories with an imagined floor plan consisting of four frames representing four different bedrooms— one for the parents and each of the three children. Each of the vibrant yet crumpled textiles is embroidered with a Jerusalem floor tile motif representing the continuous thread of Palestinian culture and tradition. This artwork speaks of the pain of loss and the strength of survival. It is a celebration of life, adorned with the rich history and the vibrant spirit of a family that, despite being uprooted, remains firmly grounded in its heritage.

Jacqueline Béjani was born in Lebanon and pursued her early education there until she left for Paris to attend the Académie Met de Penninghen and Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs (ENSAD). In parallel to working in design and advertising, she pursued an intensive practice in painting, drawing and ceramics. After moving to Luxembourg, she registered at the Académie Royale des Beaux Arts of Arlon. Béjani works across various mediums, including painting, installation and three-dimensional work while focusing on narrating her heritage and her geographies: Lebanon, Syria and Palestine. Through her multilingual, multicultural life, Béjani’s art brings forward the richness and complexity of a varied identity and– in the words of Edward Said– the “cluster of flowing currents.”