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L’homme qui marche
1
During his studies and travels, artist Moussa Tiba experimented with a variety of subject matter and mediums. His work progressed thru different periods and forms of abstraction, “L’homme qui marche” with its minimalist broad strokes, is characteristic of his latter period, similar to work found in the collections of the British Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.
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Qana tree
2
The focus of Huda Naamani’s writing and painting varies from social, political to spiritual subject matter. Made for the Qana benefit exhibition, the “Qana Tree” was created around the same time as a large retrospective she had at UNESCO Beirut with similarly painted abstract works. In this painting, the central tree-like object reaches outward from the center growing or exploding with reds, oranges, and touches of green
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Cana ou la conscience du monde
3
“Cana ou la conscience du monde” or “Cana where the conscious of the world” was made by Mona Trad Dabaji in memorial to the massacre that was committed by the Israeli army in Cana, Lebanon in 1996. Painted with her classic outlines and almost flat background, the work is emblematic of the artist while addressing the atrocity of the time. It was included in the benefit exhibition “Qana wedding” for the victims.
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Untitled (Landscape)
4
Inspired from her ancestral roots in Southern Lebanon, the Arab revolutions and women rights, Soha Sabbagh feels that her work both reflects a part of broader society while expressing her own emotions. In “Untitled” the abstract landscape is painted with a passionate sensibility while the palette uses colors from local nature and geography.
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Yalla Aref
5
Aref el Rayess’s work is both an expression of his experiences and a commentary of events from the time. This unique doubled-sided mix media work has a brightly colored print with ink illustrations on one side and a darker abstract painting on the other. Written in 1980, the text on the print side reads “Incident from reality”, a play on words in Arabic, while its accompanying illustrations came later in 1999.
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The Earth
6
During his studies and travels, artist Moussa Tiba experimented with a variety of subject matter and mediums. In the early 1970s, he resolutely turned towards abstraction and warmer colors. The geometric shapes, squares and straight lines took over his canvases, as seen in “The Earth”. Some interpret his work as having sexual overtones, the unity of a man and woman, the forms and colors colliding together while the classic bodies are stripped of their traditional lines and curves.
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Salute to Naji el Ali
7
Created in exile by Youssef Ghazzawi and then exhibited in the Qatar Biennale, “Salute to Naji el Ali” has symbolic imagery that references socio-political discourses. A famous Palestinian cartoonist, Naji el Ali was known for the political criticism of the Arab regimes and Israel in his works. Before he was assassinated in exile, El Ali created the character Handala, a young witness of the events depicted in the illustrations, who subsequently became an icon of Palestinian defiance. Ghazzawi inscribes on the back of this work that the vertical shape is Handala (Palestine) with his head surrounded by sunflower petals that follow the sun, illuminating the darkness. His other symbols are crafted in a style that is both child-like and surreal, such as the upside down house, allegorically referencing instability and displacement. The sober mixed media on cardboard uses the color grey that is “our Arab time before we find our true identity”.
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Allah Akbar
8
Ranging from city scenes with pedestrians, historic architectural landscapes to calligraphy rich with patterns, Fouad Jawhar details his work with a masterful precision. The delicately painted watercolor “Allah Akbar” skillfully layers and bleeds the soft colors while depicting graffiti-like text and symbols on a cracked stone wall.
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Untitled
9
In “Untitled” (The Wounded Lion of Babylon), Omran Al Kaysi paints a lion injured by three spears each of which represents the separate wars which occurred within the last thirty years in Iraq. Symbolic of the country struggling to survive and heal the wounds from those wars, the tragedy and the determination of lion is apparent as he tries to move forward.
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Untitled
10
Known for the boldness in his work coupled with political and social commentary, Hassan Jouni’s pieces depict subject matter that is both lyrical and narrative. His usage of color is expressive of inner emotions or possibly symbolic in meaning. The strong figure in the foreground raises his arm high while the sun rises behind him. Further evoking the idea of rebirth are the figures emerging from their tombs or rafts. Bathed in warm colors from the light of the sun, they feel as if they are stepping into the dawn of a new era.
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ما المجد الا السيف
11
The abstract work of Mazen Rifai is characterized by transparency and luminosity while capturing an interpretation of emotions. Instead of drawing the landscapes or representations of objects and places, Rifai paints sensations and memories associated with the subject. ما المجد الا السيف is a phrase taken from a famous poem by the 10th Century writer Al-Mutanabbi. The entirety of the sentence is translated as “Don’t think for a moment that glory is in a wine skin or a songstress, for glory resides in the sword and the decisive blow.’
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Ilk ya Baalbak
12
Inspired by his hometown of Baalback, the abstract small-scaled work of Mazen Rifai is characterized by transparency and luminosity while capturing an interpretation of emotions.
Instead of depicting the landscapes or representations of objects and places, Rifai paints sensations and memories associated with his subjects. The ink on paper, “Ilk ya Baalbak” is a classic example of an homage to his ancestral land.
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Untitled
13
Drawing inspiration from her native Beirut, Zena Assi’s work portrays the socio-cultural aspects and intense emotions of contemporary urban society. She depicts figures and scenes using a flat spatial environment, angular outlines, rich colors and patterns that reference Egon Schiele, and Gustav Klimt. The vertical canvas of blossoming trees in “Untitled (trees)” has the flat perspective typical of Assi’s work while the color of the flowers reminds the viewer of the springtime cherry and almond trees in Lebanon.
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Aleppo
14
Well-known for comic illustrations and portrait paintings, Omar Khouri’s work touches on the complicated and layered psychology of the individual in society.
In his current print series, he uses illustration and printmaking to create a portrait of each city. Using his style of portrait fragmentation which is based on traditional Islamic geometry, the breaks or lines can be seen as a reflection of the contradictions and cracks of fragility in each place. In “Aleppo”, instead of featured monuments of the city, you see the destruction of the civil war.
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Jerusalem
15
Well-known for comic illustrations and portrait paintings, Omar Khouri’s work touches on the complicated and layered psychology of the individual in society. In his current print series, he uses illustration and printmaking to create a portrait of each city. Using his style of portrait fragmentation which is based on traditional Islamic geometry, the breaks or lines can be seen as a reflection of the contradictions and cracks of fragility in each place. In “Jerusalem”, the viewer sees one of the iconic features of the city, the “Dome of the Rock.”
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The Arabic Alphabet
16
The aquatint etchings of “The Arabic Alphabet” are thirty individual works of each letter. The set is beautifully complete and presented as one large work with the first etching in the series titled Allah and the remaining 29 representing the other letters. Each is embedded in the interior of a circle, like a calligraphic coat of arms, and uses a variety of approaches that creates a special style for the series. Influenced by mythological story of Cadmus, who spread the Phoenician alphabet to the Greeks, Madi’s work upholds the place of the Arabic language in history. Ninty-nine editions were printed on paper that is 100% cotton, 300 grams, sized 30 x 24.4cm. The works come in a box with a canvas cover that is stamped with word "alphabet" in a special writing surmounting the signature of the artist which is also stamped. The set also comes with a certificate of authenticity from the prestigious art historian, Joseph Tarrab.
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The Arabic Alphabet
17
The aquatint etchings of “The Arabic Alphabet” are thirty individual works of each letter. The set is beautifully complete and presented as one large work with the first etching in the series titled Allah and the remaining 29 representing the other letters. Each is embedded in the interior of a circle, like a calligraphic coat of arms, and uses a variety of approaches that creates a special style for the series. Influenced by mythological story of Cadmus, who spread the Phoenician alphabet to the Greeks, Madi’s work upholds the place of the Arabic language in history.
Ninty-nine editions were printed on paper that is 100% cotton, 300 grams, sized 30 x 24.4cm. The works come in a box with a canvas cover that is stamped with word "alphabet" in a special writing surmounting the signature of the artist which is also stamped. The set also comes with a certificate of authenticity from the prestigious art historian, Joseph Tarrab.
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The Arabic Alphabet
18
The aquatint etchings of “The Arabic Alphabet” are thirty individual works of each letter. The set is beautifully complete and presented as one large work with the first etching in the series titled Allah and the remaining 29 representing the other letters. Each is embedded in the interior of a circle, like a calligraphic coat of arms, and uses a variety of approaches that creates a special style for the series. Influenced by mythological story of Cadmus, who spread the Phoenician alphabet to the Greeks, Madi’s work upholds the place of the Arabic language in history.
Ninty-nine editions were printed on paper that is 100% cotton, 300 grams, sized 30 x 24.4cm. The works come in a box with a canvas cover that is stamped with word "alphabet" in a special writing surmounting the signature of the artist which is also stamped. The set also comes with a certificate of authenticity from the prestigious art historian, Joseph Tarrab.
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The Arabic Alphabet
19
The aquatint etchings of “The Arabic Alphabet” are thirty individual works of each letter. The set is beautifully complete and presented as one large work with the first etching in the series titled Allah and the remaining 29 representing the other letters. Each is embedded in the interior of a circle, like a calligraphic coat of arms, and uses a variety of approaches that creates a special style for the series. Influenced by mythological story of Cadmus, who spread the Phoenician alphabet to the Greeks, Madi’s work upholds the place of the Arabic language in history.
Ninty-nine editions were printed on paper that is 100% cotton, 300 grams, sized 30 x 24.4cm. The works come in a box with a canvas cover that is stamped with word "alphabet" in a special writing surmounting the signature of the artist which is also stamped. The set also comes with a certificate of authenticity from the prestigious art historian, Joseph Tarrab.
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The Arabic Alphabet
20
The aquatint etchings of “The Arabic Alphabet” are thirty individual works of each letter. The set is beautifully complete and presented as one large work with the first etching in the series titled Allah and the remaining 29 representing the other letters. Each is embedded in the interior of a circle, like a calligraphic coat of arms, and uses a variety of approaches that creates a special style for the series. Influenced by mythological story of Cadmus, who spread the Phoenician alphabet to the Greeks, Madi’s work upholds the place of the Arabic language in history.
Ninty-nine editions were printed on paper that is 100% cotton, 300 grams, sized 30 x 24.4cm. The works come in a box with a canvas cover that is stamped with word "alphabet" in a special writing surmounting the signature of the artist which is also stamped. The set also comes with a certificate of authenticity from the prestigious art historian, Joseph Tarrab.
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The Arabic Alphabet
21
The aquatint etchings of “The Arabic Alphabet” are thirty individual works of each letter. The set is beautifully complete and presented as one large work with the first etching in the series titled Allah and the remaining 29 representing the other letters. Each is embedded in the interior of a circle, like a calligraphic coat of arms, and uses a variety of approaches that creates a special style for the series. Influenced by mythological story of Cadmus, who spread the Phoenician alphabet to the Greeks, Madi’s work upholds the place of the Arabic language in history.
Ninty-nine editions were printed on paper that is 100% cotton, 300 grams, sized 30 x 24.4cm. The works come in a box with a canvas cover that is stamped with word "alphabet" in a special writing surmounting the signature of the artist which is also stamped. The set also comes with a certificate of authenticity from the prestigious art historian, Joseph Tarrab.
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The Arabic Alphabet
22
The aquatint etchings of “The Arabic Alphabet” are thirty individual works of each letter. The set is beautifully complete and presented as one large work with the first etching in the series titled Allah and the remaining 29 representing the other letters. Each is embedded in the interior of a circle, like a calligraphic coat of arms, and uses a variety of approaches that creates a special style for the series. Influenced by mythological story of Cadmus, who spread the Phoenician alphabet to the Greeks, Madi’s work upholds the place of the Arabic language in history.
Ninty-nine editions were printed on paper that is 100% cotton, 300 grams, sized 30 x 24.4cm. The works come in a box with a canvas cover that is stamped with word "alphabet" in a special writing surmounting the signature of the artist which is also stamped. The set also comes with a certificate of authenticity from the prestigious art historian, Joseph Tarrab.
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The Arabic Alphabet
23
The aquatint etchings of “The Arabic Alphabet” are thirty individual works of each letter. The set is beautifully complete and presented as one large work with the first etching in the series titled Allah and the remaining 29 representing the other letters. Each is embedded in the interior of a circle, like a calligraphic coat of arms, and uses a variety of approaches that creates a special style for the series. Influenced by mythological story of Cadmus, who spread the Phoenician alphabet to the Greeks, Madi’s work upholds the place of the Arabic language in history.
Ninty-nine editions were printed on paper that is 100% cotton, 300 grams, sized 30 x 24.4cm. The works come in a box with a canvas cover that is stamped with word "alphabet" in a special writing surmounting the signature of the artist which is also stamped. The set also comes with a certificate of authenticity from the prestigious art historian, Joseph Tarrab.
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The Arabic Alphabet
24
The aquatint etchings of “The Arabic Alphabet” are thirty individual works of each letter. The set is beautifully complete and presented as one large work with the first etching in the series titled Allah and the remaining 29 representing the other letters. Each is embedded in the interior of a circle, like a calligraphic coat of arms, and uses a variety of approaches that creates a special style for the series. Influenced by mythological story of Cadmus, who spread the Phoenician alphabet to the Greeks, Madi’s work upholds the place of the Arabic language in history.
Ninty-nine editions were printed on paper that is 100% cotton, 300 grams, sized 30 x 24.4cm. The works come in a box with a canvas cover that is stamped with word "alphabet" in a special writing surmounting the signature of the artist which is also stamped. The set also comes with a certificate of authenticity from the prestigious art historian, Joseph Tarrab.
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The Arabic Alphabet
25
The aquatint etchings of “The Arabic Alphabet” are thirty individual works of each letter. The set is beautifully complete and presented as one large work with the first etching in the series titled Allah and the remaining 29 representing the other letters. Each is embedded in the interior of a circle, like a calligraphic coat of arms, and uses a variety of approaches that creates a special style for the series. Influenced by mythological story of Cadmus, who spread the Phoenician alphabet to the Greeks, Madi’s work upholds the place of the Arabic language in history.
Ninty-nine editions were printed on paper that is 100% cotton, 300 grams, sized 30 x 24.4cm. The works come in a box with a canvas cover that is stamped with word "alphabet" in a special writing surmounting the signature of the artist which is also stamped. The set also comes with a certificate of authenticity from the prestigious art historian, Joseph Tarrab.
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The Arabic Alphabet
26
The aquatint etchings of “The Arabic Alphabet” are thirty individual works of each letter. The set is beautifully complete and presented as one large work with the first etching in the series titled Allah and the remaining 29 representing the other letters. Each is embedded in the interior of a circle, like a calligraphic coat of arms, and uses a variety of approaches that creates a special style for the series. Influenced by mythological story of Cadmus, who spread the Phoenician alphabet to the Greeks, Madi’s work upholds the place of the Arabic language in history.
Ninty-nine editions were printed on paper that is 100% cotton, 300 grams, sized 30 x 24.4cm. The works come in a box with a canvas cover that is stamped with word "alphabet" in a special writing surmounting the signature of the artist which is also stamped. The set also comes with a certificate of authenticity from the prestigious art historian, Joseph Tarrab.
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The Arabic Alphabet
27
The aquatint etchings of “The Arabic Alphabet” are thirty individual works of each letter. The set is beautifully complete and presented as one large work with the first etching in the series titled Allah and the remaining 29 representing the other letters. Each is embedded in the interior of a circle, like a calligraphic coat of arms, and uses a variety of approaches that creates a special style for the series. Influenced by mythological story of Cadmus, who spread the Phoenician alphabet to the Greeks, Madi’s work upholds the place of the Arabic language in history.
Ninty-nine editions were printed on paper that is 100% cotton, 300 grams, sized 30 x 24.4cm. The works come in a box with a canvas cover that is stamped with word "alphabet" in a special writing surmounting the signature of the artist which is also stamped. The set also comes with a certificate of authenticity from the prestigious art historian, Joseph Tarrab.
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The Arabic Alphabet
28
The aquatint etchings of “The Arabic Alphabet” are thirty individual works of each letter. The set is beautifully complete and presented as one large work with the first etching in the series titled Allah and the remaining 29 representing the other letters. Each is embedded in the interior of a circle, like a calligraphic coat of arms, and uses a variety of approaches that creates a special style for the series. Influenced by mythological story of Cadmus, who spread the Phoenician alphabet to the Greeks, Madi’s work upholds the place of the Arabic language in history.
Ninty-nine editions were printed on paper that is 100% cotton, 300 grams, sized 30 x 24.4cm. The works come in a box with a canvas cover that is stamped with word "alphabet" in a special writing surmounting the signature of the artist which is also stamped. The set also comes with a certificate of authenticity from the prestigious art historian, Joseph Tarrab.
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The Arabic Alphabet
29
The aquatint etchings of “The Arabic Alphabet” are thirty individual works of each letter. The set is beautifully complete and presented as one large work with the first etching in the series titled Allah and the remaining 29 representing the other letters. Each is embedded in the interior of a circle, like a calligraphic coat of arms, and uses a variety of approaches that creates a special style for the series. Influenced by mythological story of Cadmus, who spread the Phoenician alphabet to the Greeks, Madi’s work upholds the place of the Arabic language in history.
Ninty-nine editions were printed on paper that is 100% cotton, 300 grams, sized 30 x 24.4cm. The works come in a box with a canvas cover that is stamped with word "alphabet" in a special writing surmounting the signature of the artist which is also stamped. The set also comes with a certificate of authenticity from the prestigious art historian, Joseph Tarrab.
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The Arabic Alphabet
30
The aquatint etchings of “The Arabic Alphabet” are thirty individual works of each letter. The set is beautifully complete and presented as one large work with the first etching in the series titled Allah and the remaining 29 representing the other letters. Each is embedded in the interior of a circle, like a calligraphic coat of arms, and uses a variety of approaches that creates a special style for the series. Influenced by mythological story of Cadmus, who spread the Phoenician alphabet to the Greeks, Madi’s work upholds the place of the Arabic language in history.
Ninty-nine editions were printed on paper that is 100% cotton, 300 grams, sized 30 x 24.4cm. The works come in a box with a canvas cover that is stamped with word "alphabet" in a special writing surmounting the signature of the artist which is also stamped. The set also comes with a certificate of authenticity from the prestigious art historian, Joseph Tarrab.
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The Arabic Alphabet
31
The aquatint etchings of “The Arabic Alphabet” are thirty individual works of each letter. The set is beautifully complete and presented as one large work with the first etching in the series titled Allah and the remaining 29 representing the other letters. Each is embedded in the interior of a circle, like a calligraphic coat of arms, and uses a variety of approaches that creates a special style for the series. Influenced by mythological story of Cadmus, who spread the Phoenician alphabet to the Greeks, Madi’s work upholds the place of the Arabic language in history. Ninty-nine editions were printed on paper that is 100% cotton, 300 grams, sized 30 x 24.4cm. The works come in a box with a canvas cover that is stamped with word "alphabet" in a special writing surmounting the signature of the artist which is also stamped. The set also comes with a certificate of authenticity from the prestigious art historian, Joseph Tarrab.
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The Arabic Alphabet
32
The aquatint etchings of “The Arabic Alphabet” are thirty individual works of each letter. The set is beautifully complete and presented as one large work with the first etching in the series titled Allah and the remaining 29 representing the other letters. Each is embedded in the interior of a circle, like a calligraphic coat of arms, and uses a variety of approaches that creates a special style for the series. Influenced by mythological story of Cadmus, who spread the Phoenician alphabet to the Greeks, Madi’s work upholds the place of the Arabic language in history.
Ninty-nine editions were printed on paper that is 100% cotton, 300 grams, sized 30 x 24.4cm. The works come in a box with a canvas cover that is stamped with word "alphabet" in a special writing surmounting the signature of the artist which is also stamped. The set also comes with a certificate of authenticity from the prestigious art historian, Joseph Tarrab.
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The Arabic Alphabet
33
The aquatint etchings of “The Arabic Alphabet” are thirty individual works of each letter. The set is beautifully complete and presented as one large work with the first etching in the series titled Allah and the remaining 29 representing the other letters. Each is embedded in the interior of a circle, like a calligraphic coat of arms, and uses a variety of approaches that creates a special style for the series. Influenced by mythological story of Cadmus, who spread the Phoenician alphabet to the Greeks, Madi’s work upholds the place of the Arabic language in history.
Ninty-nine editions were printed on paper that is 100% cotton, 300 grams, sized 30 x 24.4cm. The works come in a box with a canvas cover that is stamped with word "alphabet" in a special writing surmounting the signature of the artist which is also stamped. The set also comes with a certificate of authenticity from the prestigious art historian, Joseph Tarrab.
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The Arabic Alphabet
34
The aquatint etchings of “The Arabic Alphabet” are thirty individual works of each letter. The set is beautifully complete and presented as one large work with the first etching in the series titled Allah and the remaining 29 representing the other letters. Each is embedded in the interior of a circle, like a calligraphic coat of arms, and uses a variety of approaches that creates a special style for the series. Influenced by mythological story of Cadmus, who spread the Phoenician alphabet to the Greeks, Madi’s work upholds the place of the Arabic language in history.
Ninty-nine editions were printed on paper that is 100% cotton, 300 grams, sized 30 x 24.4cm. The works come in a box with a canvas cover that is stamped with word "alphabet" in a special writing surmounting the signature of the artist which is also stamped. The set also comes with a certificate of authenticity from the prestigious art historian, Joseph Tarrab.
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The Arabic Alphabet
35
The aquatint etchings of “The Arabic Alphabet” are thirty individual works of each letter. The set is beautifully complete and presented as one large work with the first etching in the series titled Allah and the remaining 29 representing the other letters. Each is embedded in the interior of a circle, like a calligraphic coat of arms, and uses a variety of approaches that creates a special style for the series. Influenced by mythological story of Cadmus, who spread the Phoenician alphabet to the Greeks, Madi’s work upholds the place of the Arabic language in history.
Ninty-nine editions were printed on paper that is 100% cotton, 300 grams, sized 30 x 24.4cm. The works come in a box with a canvas cover that is stamped with word "alphabet" in a special writing surmounting the signature of the artist which is also stamped. The set also comes with a certificate of authenticity from the prestigious art historian, Joseph Tarrab.
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The Arabic Alphabet
36
The aquatint etchings of “The Arabic Alphabet” are thirty individual works of each letter. The set is beautifully complete and presented as one large work with the first etching in the series titled Allah and the remaining 29 representing the other letters. Each is embedded in the interior of a circle, like a calligraphic coat of arms, and uses a variety of approaches that creates a special style for the series. Influenced by mythological story of Cadmus, who spread the Phoenician alphabet to the Greeks, Madi’s work upholds the place of the Arabic language in history.
Ninty-nine editions were printed on paper that is 100% cotton, 300 grams, sized 30 x 24.4cm. The works come in a box with a canvas cover that is stamped with word "alphabet" in a special writing surmounting the signature of the artist which is also stamped. The set also comes with a certificate of authenticity from the prestigious art historian, Joseph Tarrab.
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The Arabic Alphabet
37
The aquatint etchings of “The Arabic Alphabet” are thirty individual works of each letter. The set is beautifully complete and presented as one large work with the first etching in the series titled Allah and the remaining 29 representing the other letters. Each is embedded in the interior of a circle, like a calligraphic coat of arms, and uses a variety of approaches that creates a special style for the series. Influenced by mythological story of Cadmus, who spread the Phoenician alphabet to the Greeks, Madi’s work upholds the place of the Arabic language in history.
Ninty-nine editions were printed on paper that is 100% cotton, 300 grams, sized 30 x 24.4cm. The works come in a box with a canvas cover that is stamped with word "alphabet" in a special writing surmounting the signature of the artist which is also stamped. The set also comes with a certificate of authenticity from the prestigious art historian, Joseph Tarrab.
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The Arabic Alphabet
38
The aquatint etchings of “The Arabic Alphabet” are thirty individual works of each letter. The set is beautifully complete and presented as one large work with the first etching in the series titled Allah and the remaining 29 representing the other letters. Each is embedded in the interior of a circle, like a calligraphic coat of arms, and uses a variety of approaches that creates a special style for the series. Influenced by mythological story of Cadmus, who spread the Phoenician alphabet to the Greeks, Madi’s work upholds the place of the Arabic language in history.
Ninty-nine editions were printed on paper that is 100% cotton, 300 grams, sized 30 x 24.4cm. The works come in a box with a canvas cover that is stamped with word "alphabet" in a special writing surmounting the signature of the artist which is also stamped. The set also comes with a certificate of authenticity from the prestigious art historian, Joseph Tarrab.
-
The Arabic Alphabet
39
The aquatint etchings of “The Arabic Alphabet” are thirty individual works of each letter. The set is beautifully complete and presented as one large work with the first etching in the series titled Allah and the remaining 29 representing the other letters. Each is embedded in the interior of a circle, like a calligraphic coat of arms, and uses a variety of approaches that creates a special style for the series. Influenced by mythological story of Cadmus, who spread the Phoenician alphabet to the Greeks, Madi’s work upholds the place of the Arabic language in history.
Ninty-nine editions were printed on paper that is 100% cotton, 300 grams, sized 30 x 24.4cm. The works come in a box with a canvas cover that is stamped with word "alphabet" in a special writing surmounting the signature of the artist which is also stamped. The set also comes with a certificate of authenticity from the prestigious art historian, Joseph Tarrab.
-
The Arabic Alphabet
40
The aquatint etchings of “The Arabic Alphabet” are thirty individual works of each letter. The set is beautifully complete and presented as one large work with the first etching in the series titled Allah and the remaining 29 representing the other letters. Each is embedded in the interior of a circle, like a calligraphic coat of arms, and uses a variety of approaches that creates a special style for the series. Influenced by mythological story of Cadmus, who spread the Phoenician alphabet to the Greeks, Madi’s work upholds the place of the Arabic language in history.
Ninty-nine editions were printed on paper that is 100% cotton, 300 grams, sized 30 x 24.4cm. The works come in a box with a canvas cover that is stamped with word "alphabet" in a special writing surmounting the signature of the artist which is also stamped. The set also comes with a certificate of authenticity from the prestigious art historian, Joseph Tarrab.
-
The Arabic Alphabet
41
The aquatint etchings of “The Arabic Alphabet” are thirty individual works of each letter. The set is beautifully complete and presented as one large work with the first etching in the series titled Allah and the remaining 29 representing the other letters. Each is embedded in the interior of a circle, like a calligraphic coat of arms, and uses a variety of approaches that creates a special style for the series. Influenced by mythological story of Cadmus, who spread the Phoenician alphabet to the Greeks, Madi’s work upholds the place of the Arabic language in history.
Ninty-nine editions were printed on paper that is 100% cotton, 300 grams, sized 30 x 24.4cm. The works come in a box with a canvas cover that is stamped with word "alphabet" in a special writing surmounting the signature of the artist which is also stamped. The set also comes with a certificate of authenticity from the prestigious art historian, Joseph Tarrab.
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The Arabic Alphabet
42
The aquatint etchings of “The Arabic Alphabet” are thirty individual works of each letter. The set is beautifully complete and presented as one large work with the first etching in the series titled Allah and the remaining 29 representing the other letters. Each is embedded in the interior of a circle, like a calligraphic coat of arms, and uses a variety of approaches that creates a special style for the series. Influenced by mythological story of Cadmus, who spread the Phoenician alphabet to the Greeks, Madi’s work upholds the place of the Arabic language in history.
Ninty-nine editions were printed on paper that is 100% cotton, 300 grams, sized 30 x 24.4cm. The works come in a box with a canvas cover that is stamped with word "alphabet" in a special writing surmounting the signature of the artist which is also stamped. The set also comes with a certificate of authenticity from the prestigious art historian, Joseph Tarrab.
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The Arabic Alphabet
43
The aquatint etchings of “The Arabic Alphabet” are thirty individual works of each letter. The set is beautifully complete and presented as one large work with the first etching in the series titled Allah and the remaining 29 representing the other letters. Each is embedded in the interior of a circle, like a calligraphic coat of arms, and uses a variety of approaches that creates a special style for the series. Influenced by mythological story of Cadmus, who spread the Phoenician alphabet to the Greeks, Madi’s work upholds the place of the Arabic language in history.
Ninty-nine editions were printed on paper that is 100% cotton, 300 grams, sized 30 x 24.4cm. The works come in a box with a canvas cover that is stamped with word "alphabet" in a special writing surmounting the signature of the artist which is also stamped. The set also comes with a certificate of authenticity from the prestigious art historian, Joseph Tarrab.
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The Arabic Alphabet
44
The aquatint etchings of “The Arabic Alphabet” are thirty individual works of each letter. The set is beautifully complete and presented as one large work with the first etching in the series titled Allah and the remaining 29 representing the other letters. Each is embedded in the interior of a circle, like a calligraphic coat of arms, and uses a variety of approaches that creates a special style for the series. Influenced by mythological story of Cadmus, who spread the Phoenician alphabet to the Greeks, Madi’s work upholds the place of the Arabic language in history.
Ninty-nine editions were printed on paper that is 100% cotton, 300 grams, sized 30 x 24.4cm. The works come in a box with a canvas cover that is stamped with word "alphabet" in a special writing surmounting the signature of the artist which is also stamped. The set also comes with a certificate of authenticity from the prestigious art historian, Joseph Tarrab.
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The Arabic Alphabet
45
The aquatint etchings of “The Arabic Alphabet” are thirty individual works of each letter. The set is beautifully complete and presented as one large work with the first etching in the series titled Allah and the remaining 29 representing the other letters. Each is embedded in the interior of a circle, like a calligraphic coat of arms, and uses a variety of approaches that creates a special style for the series. Influenced by mythological story of Cadmus, who spread the Phoenician alphabet to the Greeks, Madi’s work upholds the place of the Arabic language in history. Ninty-nine editions were printed on paper that is 100% cotton, 300 grams, sized 30 x 24.4cm. The works come in a box with a canvas cover that is stamped with word "alphabet" in a special writing surmounting the signature of the artist which is also stamped. The set also comes with a certificate of authenticity from the prestigious art historian, Joseph Tarrab.
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republish
46
Entitled “republish”, this minimalist work incorporates the actual keys of a vintage typewriter. The beautiful simplicity of the work leads the viewer to think about the pre-digital era, its forms of media and the publishing industry, asking the question: “What will be republished?”. This work was part of an exhibition at Agial Gallery in Beirut entitled “We need to talk” that centers on the idea of memory and recreation.
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Paysage de la Bekaa
47
Inspired by his hometown of Baalback, the work of Mazen Rifai is characterized by transparency and luminosity while capturing an interpretation of emotions.
This serene watercolor of the Bekea region is an homage to his ancestral land. Created from forms and colors from the valley, the viewer travels down the road passing the picturesque landscape and villages.
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Untitled
48
The Lebanese artist Youssef Ghazzawi references the idea of home in his works using the simple symbol of a house. In this abstract pastel on paper, some might see the triangular roof and square body of the house, dissected and tumbling in a dark cloud. Hence, the feeling of “home” is destroyed, dark and shaken to pieces. Over the years, the artist lost his home three times to Israeli bombings.
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Untitled (embrace)
49
Inspired from her ancestral roots in Southern Lebanon, the Arab revolutions and women rights, Soha Sabbagh feels that her work both reflects a part of broader society while expressing her own emotions. In this intimate painting, a woman embraces the outline of a man that is abstracted with broad strokes. The viewer focuses on her face in the center of the canvas. Her eyes are closed, seemingly with contentment.
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Untitled (beach)
50
Inspired from her ancestral roots in Southern Lebanon, the Arab revolutions and women rights, Soha Sabbagh feels that her work both reflects a part of broader society while expressing her own emotions. In this watercolor, the brushstrokes playfully render a beach scene using the sunlight as a reminder of summertime memories.
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Untitled (still life)
51
Inspired from her ancestral roots in Southern Lebanon, the Arab revolutions and women rights, Soha Sabbagh feels that her work both reflects a part of broader society while expressing her own emotions. While this pastel work is of a traditional vase with flowers, it has a unique frenetic energy in the strokes creating movement in a “still life.”
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Untitled
52
Inspired by Western expressionism and effected by cultural and social issues around him, Rafic Charaf was sensitive to both the human struggle and issues within Lebanon. Throughout many phases in his career, he painted subjects such as the folk hero, landscapes and calligraphy. Many of his landscapes like “untitled” portrayed Lebanon, particularly the Bekaa valley, sometimes rendered bleakly.
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Unititled
53
Known for capturing the Lebanese landscape through his paintings, Nizar Daher’s work evolved throughout his career from nudes to depicting the horrors of the Lebanese civil war and finally the romantic sceneries rendered in an abstract expressionism. Inspired by the intense colors from his native Bekaa valley, his landscapes, like in “untitled” capture the transitioning light at different times of the day.
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Adoration
54
Youssef Howayek’s sculptural work, murals, paintings are classically rendered and the subject matter is generally figurative, ranging from nudes to religious subjects. He has been praised for his natural depiction of women as seen in “Adoration”.
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Orjowan
55
Thru the various phases in her career, Jinan Khalil has painted in the warm colors of crimson and violet expressively depicting subjects such as figures and landscapes. The movement in the landscape of “Orjowan” shows the liveliness of nature with its brilliant dabs of color.
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Adaptation
56
Ghada Zoughbi paints those in-between moments when things are messy, being rehabilitated, or in the process of happening. From people’s personal lives with images of cabinets bursting with items to the public disarray of electrical wires, signage and satellite dishes, like in “Adaptation,” she shows how people are adapting to their environments. Using expressive brushwork and colors with touches of realism, her work contains strong lines that become the focal point of her compositions.
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Untitled
57
Known for the boldness in his work coupled with political and social commentary, Jouni’s pieces depict subject matter that is both lyrical and narrative. His usage of color is expressive of inner emotions or possibly symbolic in meaning. The lines in the faces of the man and the woman in “Untitled” roar with a determination and fierceness while the barbwire that makes up the kaffieh insinuates the battle is not over, that they will continue to fight to return to their homeland.
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Untitled (Watermelon Eaters)
58
Known for the boldness in his work coupled with political and social commentary, Hassan Jouni’s pieces depict subject matter that is both lyrical and narrative. His usage of color is expressive of inner emotions or possibly symbolic in meaning. In Untitled (Watermelon Eaters), the energetic brushstrokes portray the joyous moment of three men vigorously eating watermelon.
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Untitled (Still Life)
59
Marzouk drew inspiration from his surroundings, apart from his scenes of Beirut, he also painted indoors, particularly at the end of his life. With his vibrant palette, he captured makeshift still lives and domestic spaces distorting ordinary objects such as children’s toys or sentimental keepsakes like seashells.
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Untitled (Café Sketch)
60
Drawing inspiration from his surroundings, Ibrahim Marzouk painted with a liveliness and vibrancy that celebrated Lebanon by depicting scenes of everyday life. Thru his unique personal lens, Marzouk created sketches with charcoal and pastels as well as watercolor and oil paintings. In this work, he portrays the buzz of café life in the souk. Sketching with a sense of movement, he captures a distinct moment in time.
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Untitled (Café Cat)
61
Drawing inspiration from his surroundings, Ibrahim Marzouk painted with a liveliness and vibrancy that celebrated Lebanon by depicting scenes of everyday life. Thru his unique personal lens, Marzouk created sketches with charcoal and pastels as well as watercolor and oil paintings. In this work, he depicts a café in its quiet hours with a sleeping cat.
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Untitled (Antarah)
62
Inspired by Western expressionism and affected by cultural and social issues around him, Rafic Charaf was sensitive to both the human struggle and issues within Lebanon. Throughout many phases in his career, he painted subjects such as the folk hero, landscapes and calligraphy. In this work, Charaf paints Antarah, the hero of a folk tale. It is rumored that he used the face of a famous Robin Hood-like figure from Baalbeck.
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Untitled
63
Working mainly in pencil, watercolor and oil, Onsi spent hours observing a subject before starting a rendering. He tried to remove "traces of himself as a rationalizing being and to react unselfconsciously with precise draughtsmanship, direct brushwork, and heightened sensitivity to optical effects." This work is a classic Onsi, a natural landscape with dynamic brushwork that gives the scene a sense of movement and energy.
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Three Giants
64
Drawing inspiration from her native Beirut, Zena Assi’s work portrays the socio-cultural aspects and intense emotions of contemporary urban society such as migration and memory. Inspired by Goya in both his depiction of the suffering and the medium of his work, Assi illustrates the corruption-made humanitarian crisis facing present day Lebanon. Her etchings with hand colored aquatint, entitled Ecce Homo, draw parallels with the past and the cyclical nature of history.
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The Amazon
65
Drawing inspiration from her native Beirut, Zena Assi’s work portrays the socio-cultural aspects and intense emotions of contemporary urban society such as migration and memory. Inspired by Goya in both his depiction of the suffering and the medium of his work, Assi illustrates the corruption-made humanitarian crisis facing present day Lebanon. Her etchings with hand colored aquatint, entitled Ecce Homo, draw parallels with the past and the cyclical nature of history.
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Superman
66
Drawing inspiration from her native Beirut, Zena Assi’s work portrays the socio-cultural aspects and intense emotions of contemporary urban society such as migration and memory. Inspired by Goya in both his depiction of the suffering and the medium of his work, Assi illustrates the corruption-made humanitarian crisis facing present day Lebanon. Her etchings with hand colored aquatint, entitled Ecce Homo, draw parallels with the past and the cyclical nature of history.
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Ras Al Balad
67
Drawing inspiration from her native Beirut, Zena Assi’s work portrays the socio-cultural aspects and intense emotions of contemporary urban society such as migration and memory. Inspired by Goya in both his depiction of the suffering and the medium of his work, Assi illustrates the corruption-made humanitarian crisis facing present day Lebanon. Her etchings with hand colored aquatint, entitled Ecce Homo, draw parallels with the past and the cyclical nature of history.
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Mastercard
68
Drawing inspiration from her native Beirut, Zena Assi’s work portrays the socio-cultural aspects and intense emotions of contemporary urban society such as migration and memory. Inspired by Goya in both his depiction of the suffering and the medium of his work, Assi illustrates the corruption-made humanitarian crisis facing present day Lebanon. Her etchings with hand colored aquatint, entitled Ecce Homo, draw parallels with the past and the cyclical nature of history.
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from Beirut with love
69
Drawing inspiration from her native Beirut, Zena Assi’s work portrays the socio-cultural aspects and intense emotions of contemporary urban society such as migration and memory. Inspired by Goya in both his depiction of the suffering and the medium of his work, Assi illustrates the corruption-made humanitarian crisis facing present day Lebanon. Her etchings with hand colored aquatint, entitled Ecce Homo, draw parallels with the past and the cyclical nature of history.
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The Last Day
70
While known for his work in calligraphic portraiture, Mehsen Fakih’s works can also reflect present-day issues in Lebanon. The tragic situation of people struggling is depicted in the Illustrated faces of “The Last Day” drawn with the translated phrase "They carry their souls on the palms of their hands.”
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ستكون خراباً
71
While known for his work in calligraphic portraiture, Mehsen Fakih’s works can also reflect present-day issues in Lebanon. With the image of Lebanese government officials upside down, reflecting the revolutionary rage at corruption, ستكون خراباً was drawn on the October 17 newspaper after the famous saying of Muthaffar Al-Nawab.
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Untitled
72
Creating poetic atmospheres in his work, Oussama Baalbaki primarily paints Lebanese landscapes that vary from realistic expressionism to rhythmic impressionism. Emotion-filled in their vibrant colors and brushwork, the paintings can feel upbeat, bright, gloomy, isolated, romantic or somewhere in between.
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Untitled
73
Creating poetic atmospheres in his work, Oussama Baalbaki primarily paints Lebanese landscapes that vary from realistic expressionism to rhythmic impressionism. Emotion-filled in their vibrant colors and brushwork, the paintings can feel upbeat, bright, gloomy, isolated, romantic or somewhere in between.
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The Eagle Spire
74
Well-known for comic illustrations and portrait paintings, Omar Khouri’s work touches on the complicated and layered psychology of the individual in society. Inspired by sci-fi, this work is part of a series that depicts deep space with its dramatic events, as well as reflecting the dark part of the human mind.
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Ally
75
Well-known for comic illustrations and portrait paintings, Omar Khouri’s work touches on the complicated and layered psychology of the individual in society. Inspired by sci-fi, this work is part of a series that depicts deep space with its dramatic events, as well as reflecting the dark part of the human mind.
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V838
76
Well-known for comic illustrations and portrait paintings, Omar Khouri’s work touches on the complicated and layered psychology of the individual in society. Inspired by sci-fi, this work is part of a series that depicts deep space with its dramatic events, as well as reflecting the dark part of the human mind.
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Plastic Love
77
Well-known for comic illustrations and portrait paintings, Omar Khouri’s work touches on the complicated and layered psychology of the individual in society. Inspired by sci-fi, this work is part of a series that depicts deep space with its dramatic events, as well as reflecting the dark part of the human mind.
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Martyr
78
Drawing inspiration from her native Beirut, Zena Assi’s work portrays the socio-cultural aspects and intense emotions of contemporary urban society such as migration and memory. Using collaged mixed media, Assi illustrates the corruption-made humanitarian crisis facing present-day Lebanon. Inspired from street art and poster-like memorials “Martyr” questions what images of the dead mean to the living, influencing choices and affecting obligations.
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Buy or Sell
79
Drawing inspiration from her native Beirut, Zena Assi’s work portrays the socio-cultural aspects and intense emotions of contemporary urban society such as migration and memory. Using collaged mixed media, Assi illustrates the corruption-made humanitarian crisis facing present-day Lebanon. Filled with symbolism, “Buy or Sell” has a woman struggling with her head barely above water emphasizing that life still goes on even through the chaotic humanitarian situation.
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Memento Mori
80
Drawing inspiration from her native Beirut, Zena Assi’s work portrays the socio-cultural aspects and intense emotions of contemporary urban society such as migration and memory. Inspired by Goya in his depiction of suffering, Assi illustrates the corruption-made humanitarian crisis facing present-day Lebanon. In Memento Mori, she depicts an exhausted over-burdened woman, sitting next to a skeleton. An age-old artistic reference to the inevitability of death, Assi gives a contemporary and local twist on this classic depiction, adding layers of meaning both symbolically and literally with the collaged mixed media.
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Portrait with a Pink Scarf
81
Although Zena Assi frequently depicts figures, this portrait where she draws from life, is unique to her oeuvre. Capturing an essence of the person from the background, posture, or expression, she also dresses them in a cityscape, as if they are wearing the city’s “urban fabric.”
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Portrait with IKEA Orange Lamp
82
Although Zena Assi frequently depicts figures, this portrait where she draws from life, is unique to her oeuvre. Capturing an essence of the person from the background, posture, or expression, she also dresses them in a cityscape, as if they are wearing the city’s “urban fabric.”
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Expecting
83
Using inks and pens, Fadi Balhawan fervently transcribes well-known books in Arab literature or spiritual writings such as the Confessions of St. Augustine. Creating lines that flow in all directions, the text forms shapes, patterns, and figures with highlighting washes. Akin to concrete poetry, the words and shapes reinforce each other in their meaning and symbolism.
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Don’t be Silenced
84
“Don’t be Silenced” is part of a series of works by Zena Assi that hovers between cultures, from her homeland in Lebanon to her residence in the UK. With its ornate border, this work is presented like a traditional Oriental carpet, although the kaleidoscope of symbols inside are interwoven together in a web of wires, buildings and signage, a distinctly urban aesthetic.
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Untitled
85
Lebanese artist Melissa Chalhoub is known for her expressive drawing style. Using fine-lined inks, she draws mostly in black and white with a few bright colors. The reoccurring figure in her work has been a constant subject since her childhood. It appears alone or in crowds, bending and curving, sometimes in a heightened state of emotion or situated in a scene. Abound in symbolism, like in “Untitled” her work leaves the interpretation open, making the meaning of the work individual to every viewer.
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Untitled
86
Lebanese artist Melissa Chalhoub is known for her expressive drawing style. Using fine-lined inks, she draws mostly in black and white with a few bright colors. The reoccurring figure in her work has been a constant subject since her childhood. It appears alone or in crowds, bending and curving, sometimes in a heightened state of emotion or situated in a scene. Abound in symbolism, like in “Untitled” her work leaves the interpretation open, making the meaning of the work individual to every viewer.
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Untitled
87
Lebanese artist Melissa Chalhoub is known for her expressive drawing style. Using fine-lined inks, she draws mostly in black and white with a few bright colors. The reoccurring figure in her work has been a constant subject since her childhood. It appears alone or in crowds, bending and curving, sometimes in a heightened state of emotion or situated in a scene. Abound in symbolism, like in “Untitled” her work leaves the interpretation open, making the meaning of the work individual to every viewer.
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Untitled
88
Lebanese artist Melissa Chalhoub is known for her expressive drawing style. Using fine-lined inks, she draws mostly in black and white with a few bright colors. The reoccurring figure in her work has been a constant subject since her childhood. It appears alone or in crowds, bending and curving, sometimes in a heightened state of emotion or situated in a scene. Abound in symbolism, like in “Untitled” her work leaves the interpretation open, making the meaning of the work individual to every viewer.
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Untitled
89
Lebanese artist Melissa Chalhoub is known for her expressive drawing style. Using fine-lined inks, she draws mostly in black and white with a few bright colors. The reoccurring figure in her work has been a constant subject since her childhood. It appears alone or in crowds, bending and curving, sometimes in a heightened state of emotion or situated in a scene. Abound in symbolism, like in “Untitled” her work leaves the interpretation open, making the meaning of the work individual to every viewer.
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Weeping Willow in November
90
“Weeping Willow in November” is part of a series of works by Zena Assi that hovers between cultures, from her homeland in Lebanon to her residence in the UK. The work speaks about the emotional, social and cultural baggage due to displacement and the cross-cultural conflicts caused by migration. With its intricate layers and embellishments, it tells its own story through symbolism and allegory.
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Weeping Willow in September
91
“Weeping Willow in September” is part of a series of works by Zena Assi that hovers between cultures, from her homeland in Lebanon to her residence in the UK. The work speaks about the emotional, social and cultural baggage due to displacement and the cross-cultural conflicts caused by migration. With its intricate layers and embellishments, it tells its own story through symbolism and allegory.