Ode to Joy Sculpture

Nayla Tabet was born in Lebanon in 1980. When she was 8 years old her family fled to France where she grew up and completed her studies. She spent her teenage years in a small town in the South of France surrounded by forests and woodlands. It is here where she developed a fascination for trees. She now shares her times between London and Beirut and her fascination for trees has grown deeper. She makes tree sculptures using high quality metal wires and various types of paper for her creations driven by her inspirations. She likes the confrontation between the strength of the metal and the fragility of paper. Every tree tells a story through its shape, its colours and its paper cuttings. One of her aims is the need to show, through her work, the importance of a greener planet around us. ''Trees play a crucial part in the survival of species including our own. The need of a better eco conscious exploitation of this planet, the reduction of over consumption, the slowing down to simpler lives in harmony with nature, and finally a better understanding of our needs are all intertwined messages I would like to express through my trees.'' She likes to depict scenes to inspire in ways that always reveal the beauty of the tree. ''I get my inspiration from the world around me; a book, the news, the human condition, a colour, a shape, or an emotion. I believe trees are like a soul you look at to interrogate, to find answers, to heal or sometimes to escape from. They are like a silent, strong, wise and even forgiving companion I always wants to be with''.