Karine Hochar is a self-taught sculptor whose artistic soul finds its truest expression through bronze. Born in Beirut in 1970, she carries the rich tapestry of Mexican and Lebanese heritage, a fusion that colors her work with unique sensibility and depth. Her twelve years in Paris, a refuge from Lebanon’s civil war, became a crucible where her artistic voice was forged anew, imbuing her creations with a layered dialogue between memory and displacement, belonging and longing. The experience of uprooting and renewal quietly breathes beneath the surface of her sculptures, inviting us into a world shaped by both absence and resilience.

In 2008, Karine unveiled her first collection of bronze sculptures, marking a pivotal chapter in her journey. Nestled in the serene Cedar mountains, her workshop overlooks the sacred valley of Qadisha, where nature’s grandeur meets the spiritual echoes of Gibran Khalil Gibran. Amidst ancient trees and whispering winds, Karine’s hands coax from clay and metal forms that speak of place and spirit, grounding her art in deep cultural memory and reverence for the land.

Her creative process begins with clay, shaping generous volumes and sweeping curves, roughening surfaces to capture a raw, tactile vitality. Her sculptures often evoke serene joy, quietly celebrating life’s rhythms. Yet beneath this calm pulses Lebanon’s political turmoil, a tension she does not shy away from. Her work stands as a poignant witness to conflict and endurance, embodying the fragile strength of the human spirit amid chaos.

Karine crafts a dialogue between past and present, beauty and struggle, peace and turmoil. Her bronzes are tactile poems, delicate yet powerful, speaking of identity, memory, and resilience. Each curve and texture whispers stories that transcend cultural boundaries, transforming space into a realm of empathy and shared humanity. Her sculptures hold a silent yet compelling presence, asking viewers to witness both suffering and hope, the unyielding pulse of life beyond hardship.

Her work embodies transformation itself. The alchemy of clay and metal becomes a vessel for emotion and meaning, where history and hope intertwine and silence carries weight. Her creations resonate with the spirit of a land beloved and battered, alive with memory and possibility. They beckon the viewer to look beyond surface appearances, to sense the unseen currents beneath bronze’s cold exterior, and to hear the whispered stories within form and texture.

Karine’s art has carved a revered place in the contemporary scene, bridging the ancient and the modern, the intimate and universal. Her work has been showcased worldwide—in Beirut, New York, Florence, London, Cairo, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi—and exhibited at both the historic Salon d'Automne and the prestigious Grand Palais in Paris. She received the "Special Commendation From the President" medal at the XIVth Florence Biennale. Through her evolving practice, she weaves her personal narrative into the fabric of collective memory, crafting timeless pieces that celebrate resilience, beauty, and the enduring pulse of homeland and heart.

Within her sculptures lies more than artistry; there is a meditation on existence, a tender, unyielding affirmation of life amidst upheaval, and a poetic invocation of peace. Her works invite us to pause, to feel deeply, and to connect with the enduring rhythm of humanity flowing through every curve and contour, leaving a lasting echo long after we have turned away.