Drawn by Light is a profound conversation between experience and thought. Spanning forty years of Afaf Zurayk’s personal and artistic growth, the publication offers readers a rare, intimate view into the nature of expression.

In her attempt to translate the intangibles of her visual artwork into language, Afaf became an active agent in examining her own creative discourse. The result is a carefully curated sequence of twenty pairs of images and texts. While the intuitive choice and flow of these couplets reveal singular aspects of her creative process, they remain deeply sensitive to her intrinsic evolution as an artist.

Through this journey of words and images, Afaf expresses the ebb, flow, pains, and hopes of navigating the joys and wounds of Beirut, viewing them mirrored in the fullness of life in Washington.

As you progress through the book, the crisp white of the pages slowly and incrementally gives way to darkness. Utilizing textures recovered directly from Afaf’s artwork, the reader is gradually immersed in the tactility and subtle, light-catching depth of her art.

Ultimately, Drawn by Light is an invitation. It guides the reader on a journey to understand art through this very transformation: combining experience and thought, looking deeply within, while keenly observing from without.