Category Archives: Arts

by - 0 comments

A Little Wonderful Project

A new project titled “A Little Wonderland” is kicking off this Friday. The project, a collaborative effort between the “Geitawi On My Mind 2013” Festival, Paint Up’s Dihzahyners and Dispatch Beirut, will revolve around renovating an old home in the residential area of Ashrafieh. The team starts their work on the 8th- preparing it and creating the clean slate that will be open to public volunteers on March 22nd.

268477_747790401152_478216083_n

Lana Chukri, LAU Graphic Design graduate, is founder of Paint-Up, a group of proactive designers and artists on a mission to add color to Beirut. She recently gave a goosebump-inducing talk at TEDxLAU. Paint-Up are the ones to thank for all the snazzy staircases around the city.

60174_729680184172_1291551583_n

Pamela Haydamous, AUB Landscaping Design graduate, founded Dispatch Beirut, the Beirut chapter of Jan Vormann’s idea of restoring a city using Legos.

Here’s an example of one of Dispatch’s projects last November:

To find out more about the Wonderland event, I contacted these two very inspiring young ladies – I’m lucky enough to call them my friends – to ask what this project is about. I also wanted to share some of their thoughts because they are perfect examples of how you can make a difference in your surroundings; all you have to do is try.

1.) What was the inspiration for the “A Little Wonderland” project?

LC: I feel we were inspired by the space itself – it seemed a perfect fit to recreate this home-like world and feel by bringing it back to life somehow. “A Little Wonderland” was just a descriptive way to package what wonder we felt this small forgotten space has and will have more of once we add our touch!

PH: Being in the space on a Sunday afternoon, we all felt a tiny breeze of memories, as if literally this house could open it’s door and an old lady would greet us with a cup of coffee. The inspiration for this project goes beyond only this space and house; it is a message to preserve the spirit of Beirut, which we all feel is slipping away right in front of our eyes. I know it’s a bit too poetic but seeing spaces like these being torn down to make way for lifeless skyscrapers is just too sad.

2.) Is there a design plan for the house or is it going to be a “blank canvas” where all volunteers can go wild?

LC: There is actually a design plan that the Crew have discussed thoroughly over the past few weeks and planned for. I feel the end product will speak for itself but the concept of the house is to revive it, bring some life to it, give it that essence – that it hasn’t been forgotten after all. That’s all I’m going to reveal for now!

PH: The design plan, as Lana said, is already set, but I’m sure there’s always room for the volunteers to leave their creative touches.

3.) Will the historic significance of Ashrafieh architecture be retained/emphasized in some way?

LC: I think the architecture is apparent and we aren’t changing it except to dress it in a brighter and more beautiful way. So yes, the elements of it will remain and we are staying true to the surroundings and build of the venue, the style and feel of it as well – but with our touches, of course, and little added things that will make it complete.

PH: The architecture in the house is its main attraction and the key rationale behind the project. We’re very keen on preserving it, it’s just getting the mini uplift that does it justice.

4.) What is to be of the house once it is completed?

LC: We will have to leave that up to nature, time, and whatever comes after we leave our mark on it. Let it inspire others, make someone smile, feel warmth, want to pull out a chair and have a nice afternoon outside it – who knows?!

PH: We really hope that the end product just sends happy vibes, a rush of memories; ideally motivates other people to follow the lead and preserve the few heritage spots we have left.

5.) You are currently working a full-time job while simultaneously handling the Paint-Up/Dispatch initiatives. How important are side-projects in one’s professional life?

LC: Having side-projects aren’t only important, they’re absolutely vital and necessary for every individual – designer or otherwise. We live in a day and age now where everything has been seen, done, experienced, everything’s mainstream and what’s new today is old tomorrow. Keep your day job for the experience and growth and patience it teaches you – and the income and financial independence. But keep your passions, your projects, and initiatives for yourself and the rest of the world – because it’s in those things that you truly reap the benefits of seeing your dreams come to life! I could go on forever about this because I am a workaholic in the office – so I’ll keep it short. Your side projects are what fuel your soul and your heart, and only through first-handedly inspiring others can you really stay inspired yourself.

PH: Wow! Side projects are where you really put yourself out there. You dare to be different and show the world that a little thought or initiative can really go a long way. As Lana said, we really live in a day and age where everything is so five minutes ago. The difference is where you actually take the idea to, how you recreate it as your own, and adapt it to your needs and your surroundings. Keeping a day job that feeds into your passion is definitely the best you can do- it shapes your thoughts, dreams and stretches your passion to its limits. Two things that I think are important here are:

1. The minute you feel too comfortable in your little bubble (that is your daily job, routine, friends and family) then you’re on the wrong track.

2. Always have a critic’s eye and always let your passion scare you to the point where you actually do something about it.

6.) What are the hurdles that you face when starting a new project and how do you tackle them?

LC: People, society, criticism, jealousy, and, in Beirut, public humiliation. If people don’t like what you do they’ll make it clear you fail or make sure you have hard time realizing your potential. But you have to kill the criticism with kindness. They show you disregard or hate, show them consideration and love tenfold – then they’ll truly stand by your side in your time of need. In return, you would’ve really moved someone and changed their life and perspective!

PH: When it comes to Dispatch Beirut, we faced quite a few issues mainly in communicating our idea and making other people believe in it as much as we do. It all started as our way to express our critical point of view towards the city, as we love to see it at its best. Our installations consist of building and restructuring broken walls, facades, mainly “rebuilding Beirut” bottom up. So it was a tough task to get permits and all the legal documents. We faced a few issues with the ISF and a few locals, who had dismantled a few of our installations. But we believe that when our installations are placed in the public realm, then any reaction from the public is just other people’s way of expressing their ideas and thoughts too. Democracy at its best!

7.) What’s your advice to young people looking to add a little spark to their life?

LC: If you have an idea, a passion, a dream, just really get out there and try it in any way possible – don’t think about money, power, fame, or all the rest of the pretentiousness that people waste their time and energy on. Inspire others. Write, draw, run, paint, build, share everything with the world that you possibly can – and do not, in any way be scared of rejection. Wear your heart on your sleeve. And get off YouTube and 9Gag and these crappy televised things that don’t give you any form of knowledge, drive, and inspiration! Watch great films, read great books, travel, browse blogs, and animations that are inspirational, create a blog yourself, go to exhibitions and events and get exposed and only then will feel that surge of excitement to expose others to your own passions too! Lastly, exhaust yourself. And be happy and fulfilled doing it because you’re only young once. Right here, right now is your time!

PH: A trick that always inspires me is to try something new, a new road to work, a new alleyway to get lost in, new music, new people… It’s crazy what exploring new options can do to your brain. And the second you are able to close your eyes and imagine your idea come to life; that’s your cue to go ahead and make it happen. It might turn out to be the worst idea in the world and still you would feel satisfied enough that you tried it out. Pick up from there, explore other options and keep trying until you get it just right. Most of all, stay on the lookout for inspiration anywhere around you, always carry a little sketchbook to jot down or draw ideas (or you would end up having a pile of diner napkins fully scribbled on just like me) and always believe that only you can make your dreams come to life.

Hope to see you all there on the 22nd 🙂

by - 0 comments

Bambi Recommends: Popeye at Vick Vanlian

IMG_6639

“One Way or Another”

Vick Vanlian Gallery in Saifi Village, located next to Chenbai Restaurant, is having an exclusive exhibition of Jordi Machi’s Popeye collection. His art pieces feature the famous cartoons, Popeye and Olive Oil, in some very scandalous poses – and that’s why you love them. The exhibition itself is titled “PoPeye WTF Art Exhibition” after all, so it’s pretty obvious that the Spanish artist is very aware of the distorted reality he portrays in his work. I say distorted because I don’t remember ever seeing Olive snorting grinded spinach like it’s lines of coke…or strip. The gallery itself is the perfect place being that it has quirky furniture pieces with lady legs going everywhere, industrial pipe armchairs, and a giant metallic peeled banana.

IMG_6634

IMG_6640

IMG_6638

Spinach cans as part of the set-up

I wouldn’t necessarily go out of my way to go see the show but if you happen to be in Downtown or having waffles at Balima, you might as well walk on over and take a look. It’s a small collection so it’ll only take 10 minutes tops – 2 have already been sold. If you want to buy any of the works, prices run between $2300 – $3800. You have until March 22nd – Go.

Imagine having one of these in your parents’ living room:

IMG_6637

“One in a Millione”

IMG_6632

“LoVe Me KNOT”

IMG_6633

“Many Days at Sea”

IMG_6636

“How I Met Your Mama”

by - 0 comments

Bambi’s Boxes, Part IV


Although this display has been taken down – it was Spring 2012 – I would like to give it some praise before it has been forgotten. 


Venue: Sophie’s Choice
Location: Beirut Souks


The displays incorporated illustrations by Karim Al Dahdah, illustrator and founder of Karim Al Dahdah Illustration Studio, mixed in with simple quotes about love. The illustrations are inspired by the collections of Sophie’s Choice, a luxury boutique located behind Hermes in the Downtown Beirut Souks. The characters are very lively and playful – very different than the impression that Sophie’s Choice gives off as a retail store. It usually seems very exclusive and unattainable, like how you’d feel if you were to ask the Queen for a spare tissue. You’d feel ridiculous, say thanks, and run off to make faces at her national guard. 

The new vitrines gave SC a younger facade making it less intimidating. The clothing seemed as carefree as the jumping gangly girls in the cardboard cutouts. Well done.

Source

Source

“Karim Al-Dahdah was born in Beirut, Lebanon in 1982 and went to school at the Collège Notre-Dame de Jamhour where he received the prestigious Prix d’Honneur de Philosophie.

He holds a BA in Advertising from the Académie Libanaise des Beaux-Arts (2004) and a master’s degree in Illustration from the Savannah College of Art and Design, USA (2005).

He worked as an art director for a top children’s b

ooks publishing company in Chicago and a marketing company in Beirut, before opening his own illustration studio in June 2009. ” – Karim Al Dahdah Illustration Studio Facebook Page

Check out the rest of his Facebook page here or his website here.
by - 0 comments

Tomorrow We Will See

“Tomorrow We Will See” is a documentary that plays off of the Lebanese vernacular expression “bokra min shoof” which literally means tomorrow we will see, but it’s another way of saying “inshallah” or God willing. It is a common phrase here in Lebanon since people have gotten so used to instability and uncertainty, be it political, economical, social or electrical. This documentary focuses on artistic outlets used in the country.

As stated in the YouTube description for the trailer:

““Tomorrow We Will See” (“Bukra Minshouf”) offers a window into Lebanon’s flourishing creative culture through the perspective of ten Lebanese artists. A rock band’s thought-provoking lyrics, a poet’s description of time shrinking, an architect’s experimental manipulation of space, and a painter’s reflections on his choice of colors, reveal the process by which the featured artists transform ideas, sketches, and spaces into vibrant and dynamic works of art. A common trait that unites the artists is their talent of using art as a tool for transcending sectarian divisions and encouraging freedom of thought. Through their own artistic expressions, they have overcome decades of social and political instability and the uncertainties of what tomorrow may bring.”


 Ceramic Wall titled “From Earth to Heavens”





One example of artistic expression that seems to be disregarded is a mural done on the Bahri road going towards Dbayeh (near Qarantina). This mosaic mural was done in 2009 by Lena Kelekian. She is a visual artist, iconographer, muralist, restorer, geologist, environmental designer, mosaicist, lecturer, and curator. Her extensive education began at AUB where she graduated with a BS in Geology. 

“The distinctive feature of Kelekian’s iconography is her use of traditional Byzantine methods and natural pigments. As a geologist, Kelekian learned how to extract colors from minerals.

“I rediscovered 89 mineral-extracted colors, and discovered a few types of green and yellow.” In keeping with Byzantine methods, she paints her icons in an egg tempera (the egg being the biblical symbol of life and fertility) and embellishes the gold or silver backgrounds with precious and semi-precious stones and pearls.”


Read the full article in AUB’s Main Gate Spring 2006 issue here.



She also has a Higher Studies Diploma in Theology from the Higher Institute for Religious Formation in France, a Higher Studies Diploma in Research & Restoration from UCL, and a Doctorate Degree in Fine Arts from Greci Marino Academy of Letters, Arts & Sciences in Italy. 

She is an “Olympic artist” because her work had been selected to represent Lebanon and the Middle East in the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. According to Al Shorfa, she “won the gold medal at the recent Olympic Fine Arts Exhibition in London, adding a second Olympic gold and the 16th first prize in her career as an artist.” (Am I the only one that didn’t know medals were awarded for art?)

The public benches on the Manara seaside in Ain Mraisse are also mosaic artworks done by Kelekian in an earlier project from 2004.

Kelekian claims to be brewing a surprise come March 2013: inviting a thousand foreign artists to organize an exhibition in central Beirut. 



by - 0 comments

Discovering Fire

Psyche Revived by Cupid’s Kiss, Antonio Canova – Louvre, Paris

“Some day, after mastering the winds, the waves, the tides and gravity, we will harness for God the energies of love. And then, for the second time in the history of the world, man will have discovered fire.”

– One Tree Hill, Season 9, Episode 1.

by - 0 comments

Bambi’s Boxes, Part II.

Dresses at sea

The second installment from Bambi’s Boxes features the Piaff vitrines designed by conceptual artist, Najla El Zein. First off, Piaff, a clothing store, is located near Gefinor on Clemenceau, after CMC on your righthand side – if you reach Downtown, you’ve gone too far.

From inside Piaff
Source

 This season’s displays are based on the structure of coral reefs. However, the constructed corals are made out of mini cocktail umbrellas. The multicolored umbrellas were shipped in to Lebanon but while constructing the display, they ran short. Instead of trashing the whole idea, voids were incorporated into the umbrella corals. It’s all very under-the-sea-where’s-my-margarita.

Umbrellas!

Gaps
Source

Najla El Zein had given a small talk once this spring about her work and conceptual designs which is mainly installations or abstract sculpture work. An “installation” is an artwork that has to be set-up or installed in 3D space. Her works include fluffy clouds, a giant head of hair and a big ball of welded spoons. The spoons, rightly titled “6302 Spoons”, has 6302 spoons melted into a teardrop womb-shaped ball that doubles as a wall lamp. It looks a bit like a metal version of the dripping goo that is Princess Daisy’s father in Super Mario Bros, the movie. You can check out more of El Zein’s work on her website.

El Zein has done work for Piaff before. She was also the designer behind their last window displays which were pinwheels that spun thanks to fans inside the store. This display was more interesting to see at night when the store was closed – the pinwheels spun and the dresses billowed in a vacated showroom/area. It was spooky and mesmerizing.

Pinwheels
Source
Dresses
Source

by - 5 Comments

Bambi’s Boxes, Part I.

LV display in London, UK back in April ’12

I have decided to dedicate a part of this blog to a somewhat overlooked art (in the country): display design. As defined by TheFreeDictionary, display design is

 
“a field of the decorative arts that includes the temporary festive decoration of streets, public squares, and industrial sites; window dressing; and the design of decorations and displays for demonstrations, public holidays, athletic events, parades, and various types of exhibitions. Display design makes use of the expressive resources of architecture, sculpture, painting, graphics, theater, film-making, and lighting. It thereby provides the most large-scale examples of a synthesis of the arts. Display design interacts with the existing architecture but, in contrast to it, usually has agitational content.”
 
In other words, it’s the conceptual thought that goes into the vitrines that make selling products more visually stimulating. The posts revolving around this subject (titled Bambi’s Boxes since vitrines are essentially boxes) will depend on how often I discover an intriguing display in Lebanon and how long/if I can gather some background info about the creator(s) behind it. Given that displays do not change frequently, these posts will probably be about once or twice a month and if you’re not a fan of this sort of thing, there’s still the usual lists, film clips, letters and random ramblings that will continue to be posted regularly. 
 
So without further ado, I’m going to start this off with one of the giants in display design: Louis Vuitton. 
 
LV in Beirut, Lebanon in February ’12

This past year, they have had vitrines with giant cupcakes, white carousel horses (seen above), and multicolored arrows. Like every smart brand, they’re vitrines are identical in all their stores across the world – but not to the same degree or a complete copy/paste layout. Based on size of the shop and structure of the window, they can vary in arrangement. Sometimes, the design is applied on the interior of the store as well, being incorporated into the presentation of the products. The themes are usually concepts coming from commissioned artists. 



Worldwide this season, LV has a pop-up collaboration with Yayoi Kusama, a Japanese artist, and it’s all about tentacles – her work shows her obsession with the idea of accumulation. Using this, Louis Vuitton partnered with the artist to create a new polka dot collection. The “Polka Dot Artist” is also featured within some of the displays in dolled up mannequin form. She looks like a Japanese Anna Wintour. These pop-up stores are featured in Singapore, Hong Kong’s Pacific Place (until Sept. 8), Tokyo Shinjuku Isetan (until July 31), Tokyo Dover Street Market (until Aug. 26), New York Soho (until July 31), Paris Le Printemps Department Store (Aug. 23-Oct. 21) and London Selfridges Department Store (Aug. 24-Oct. 19). You can check out the collection here.


The vitrines feature tentacles and venus flytrap-like plants with eye ball centers that allude to Little Shop of Horrors creatures in my opinion. Here’s a trailer of the movie so you can see what I mean:



The vitrines in Beirut now:

 




by - 0 comments

PaperCards at Papercup

In Mar Mikhael, the artsy fartsy district of Beirut, there is an art bookstore called Papercup. It is already well-known by people who it caters to: designers, artsy folk, hipsters and foreigners. It’s a small place and hard to find if you haven’t been there before.

Directions: Drive down Gouraud Street in Gemmayzeh until it eventually joins the main road of Mar Mikhael (Alexandria Street), past EDL. Keep going until you get to the road between SEAT and Pharmacie Cilicie on your left. Park and walk down that road (unless you want to be Lebanese and drive the wrong way on a one way street) and take a left.

There on the right side you will see Papercup.

They have a couple of shelves of magazines, a frequently restocked collection of art books as well as a mini cafe inside. Personally, my favorite part of the whole shop is the assortment of greeting cards and stationery: a bit by Lebanese designers but mostly imported. I have a hard time finding great cards for occasions (or just for the heck of it because it’s a sad obsession of mine), so this is a nice find when you want a card that’s original and isn’t drowning in cheesy cliches. They’re a bit on the pricey side, each card running at an average of $6 – but in all fairness, Hallmark cards are around the same if not more only they’re lame. 

My cards

 Once you’re done looking around, whether you’ve found something or not…You can go across the street to Frosty’s Palace, Papercup’s owner’s sister’s place. It’s small so you may have to wait if full but it’s got meaty burgers and milkshakes which are pretty meaty and delicious respectively, if you decide to forego the cheddar (with the burger at least?).

With cheddar could be good too, I’d have to go back for further investigation just for you guys. I’m such a trooper, I know.

Random factoid: they have environmentally friendly straws made out of cardboard. 
by - 0 comments

Let’s Talk About Seasons

Close up of “Eternal Spring” – Auguste Rodin
Musee Rodin. Paris, France



Here in Lebanon, the majority of the population are trilinguals with knowledge in Arabic, English and French (or Armenian, Spanish, Italian, etc). Those that are in the French education system are known as “Frenchies.” Despite the fact that I would love to know a third language and French would be convenient and fancy, I am not a Frenchie. 


With this introduction, I now feel comfortable copying a quote here in French without feeling like a pseudo-intellectual fraud and I apologize in advance for yet another Tony Robbins moment. 


“Au milieu de l’hiver, j’ai découvert en moi un invincible été.”  – Albert Camus


Translation: “In the depths of winter, I discovered there was in me an invincible summer.”


To me, it means that even in your lowest moment, when shit has hit the fan, when there’s no hot water, when you have to eat spinach for the 3rd day in a row, when you’re still unemployed, when someone close to you has passed away…there is still an undying spirit within you that will help you persevere. There is an underestimated amount of summer that will push you through every winter that you’re forced to trudge through, you just don’t know it yet.



by - 0 comments

451º F

“He saw himself in her eyes, suspended in two shining drops of bright water, himself dark and tiny, in fine detail, the lines about his mouth, everything there, as if her eyes were two miraculous bits of violet amber that might capture and hold him intact.”

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury


*image is an edited screen shot from Gucci Guilty TVC