Najla El Zein

Najla El Zein’s Distortion series communicates  intense  expression  through  miraculously  minimal  means.  The  title  refers  to  El  Zein’s  own  corporeal  transformation during pregnancy, and also (perhaps more self-evidently) to the benches’ surrealistic rounded  swells.  These  are  variously  positioned,  demarcating  the  pieces  into  unusual  situations  for  seating: here there is just enough space for a couple to settle in close, there, a perch for an isolated sitter. Meanwhile, the smooth curvature of the form beckons the hand. The unusual material—concrete reinforced with resin—is sanded to a fine, almost silky texture. Even if you know nothing of El Zein and her life, sitting on a Distortion bench is an intimate experience, honed yet supple, at once hard and soft.