As the United Nations marks its 80th anniversary, Lebanese ceramicist Samar Mougharbel offers a different kind of tribute: a call to unearth peace through art. In a region long shaped by conflict, her clay creations stand as a silent yet powerful protest against war.
Drawing from a life surrounded by turmoil, Mougharbel transforms raw earth into emotive forms—each vase, bowl or tile carrying the weight of personal and collective history. For the artist, every twist of clay is a statement that war need not define our future.
In her studio, working with clay becomes a practice of meditation. 'When my hands touch the earth,' she says, 'the outside world quiets, and I find freedom.' This ritual of molding and shaping is her way of reclaiming calm in a landscape often defined by chaos.
Her message to the younger generation is direct and urgent: step away from screens and reconnect with the tangible world. By feeling the soil beneath our fingers and breathing in fresh air, she insists, we open pathways to inner reflection and genuine understanding.
Mougharbel believes that true peace begins within each of us. As countries and communities look ahead, her ceramics remind a global audience that healing starts at the most basic level—our relationship with the earth and with ourselves.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
