A rocky road
Ceramic artist Tania Nasr talks to ArtScoops about the inspiration she finds from Lebanon’s magnificent, multi-faceted mountains and how her work changed post-August 4, 2020 How did the time you spent studying pottery with the masters from the Far East influence your approach to ceramics?The potters I studied with when living in Singapore in the...
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Taking global concepts to the grassroots
Kamiar Maleki, art fair director at VOLTA, tells ArtScoops what’s in the pipeline for Basel and beyond, with NFTs set to make a first-time appearanceWhat approach did you decide to adopt at VOLTA when the Covid-19 pandemic arrived? The early lockdown came just after we’d held our VOLTA New York Art Fair (March 2020), which was a great success,...
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On cultural resistance and art crushes
Nadine Fayad, gallery owner, art lover and collector, talks to ArtScoops about the significance of the art emerging from Lebanon’s uprising and why following your heart when buying artworks is a good ideaHow did Nadine Fayad Art Gallery adapt to accommodate the challenges of 2020/21, namely the Covid-19 pandemic and economic crisis in Lebanon?...
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A continent on the cusp
With talent and creativity matched by demand, Moroccan designer Hicham Lahlou is confident that this is Africa’s time to shineReceiving the Insignia of Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres of the French Republic from HE Jean-Francois Girault, France’s Ambassador to MoroccoYou have collaborated with many major international brands on a broad range...
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Celebrating the wonderful Aractingi-Fontaine connection
‘Willy, La Fontaine’ auction to mark 400th anniversary of legendary fabulist’s birthArtScoops’ latest, not-to-be-missed auction features a delightful trio of works by the renowned Lebanese artist Willy Aractingi, including two paintings in which he takes us into the wonderful world of French author Jean de la Fontaine’s fables. Titled ‘Willy, La...
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Poignant perspectives
Spanning the badly damaged Sursock Palace to the sand-dune-like silos at Beirut Port, a new collection of work by the Lebanese photographer Dia Mrad on the aftermath of the August 4 explosion takes visual storytelling to new heights, as ArtScoops discoversDunes of BeirutIn the aftermath of the explosion at Beirut Port on August 4, 2020, haunting...
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When art is your comfort zone
The collage and mixed media artist Nevine Mattar talks to ArtScoops about getting creative against a backdrop of national chaosNevine Mattar has long made the use of colour a hallmark of her art, with her inimitable protagonists and cityscapes marked by a wonderful kaleidoscopic vibrancy and warmth. However, even she has noticed something...
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When disciplines dovetail
Ribal Molaeb talks lockdown painting, learning from his father and Lebanon as a source of inspiration As a renowned and award-winning musician, do you find your art and music always complement each other or are they ever in conflict? Can you explain how the two interact and the dynamism between them? I would put it this way: painting is my...
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Within these walls
Hurt, hope and healing are among the themes explored in the work of photographer and digital content creator Ismat MahmassaniAbandoned buildings are an all-too familiar sight in Beirut, with once majestic landmarks and places of architectural significance now sadly just shadows of their former selves. Dilapidated and unloved, many are patterned...
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