Yazan Halwani: Difference between revisions
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==Biography== |
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{{short description|Lebanese artist and activist from Beirut}} |
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Yazan Halwani was born on the 17th May 1993 in Beirut, Lebanon. The Lebanese Civil War had taken its toll on the city, and large parts of the city were destroyed. |
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{{lead too short|date=March 2018}} |
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| ⚫ | In 2007, Yazan started experimenting with graffiti |
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'''Yazan Halwani''' ({{Langx|ar|يزن حلواني}}) is a [[Lebanon|Lebanese]] artist from [[Beirut]]. Yazan is best known for his public art displays, including graffiti, murals, and sculptures. His murals can be found on buildings across Beirut, and often depict portraits of important Lebanese and Middle Eastern figures. |
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Halwani, a graduate of [[American University of Beirut]] and [[Harvard Business School]],<ref>{{Cite web|title=Yazan Halwani - MBA - Harvard Business School|url=https://www.hbs.edu/mba/student-life/people/Pages/perspectives.aspx?profile=yhalwani|access-date=2020-09-07|website=www.hbs.edu}}</ref> started painting to protest against Lebanon's traditionally-[[Sectarianism|sectarian]] politics and the [[Lebanese Civil War]] (1975-1990).<ref>{{Cite web|date=2015-09-22|title=How a Beirut graffiti artist is using his murals to try to unite a fragmented city|url=http://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/sep/22/beirut-graffiti-artist-yazan-halwani-lebanese|access-date=2020-09-07|website=the Guardian|language=en}}</ref> His art celebrates Lebanon's unique cultural heritage and the creation of a unified national identity of secularism. Yazan's most recognizable work is the ''Eternal Sabah'' mural in Beirut's [[Hamra, Beirut|Hamra]] neighborhood, portraying the famous Lebanese singer and artist, [[Sabah (singer)|Sabah]]. |
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[[File:Eternal Sabah Mural on Assaf building in Hamra,Beirut - Nightshot.jpg|thumb|340x340px|Eternal Sabah Mural by Yazan Halwani on Assaf building in Hamra, [[Beirut]]]] |
[[File:Eternal Sabah Mural on Assaf building in Hamra,Beirut - Nightshot.jpg|thumb|340x340px|Eternal Sabah Mural by Yazan Halwani on Assaf building in Hamra, [[Beirut]]]] |
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| ⚫ | In 2007, Yazan started experimenting with graffiti benefiting from the loose regulation towards graffiti in Beirut. In 2011, Yazan decided to change his style and create a mural style that is independent of the west, by leveraging Arabic calligraphy and portraits of Arab people. He frequently reports that his shift in style was accompanied by a shift in attitude: "Graffiti has a strong connotation of vandalism, but in my city most people do vandalism: [[Lebanese Civil War]], corrupt politicians. This is why I try to make my murals a constructive expression of the city."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/06/qa-calligraphy-meets-street-art-beirut-150616064634855.html|title=Q&A: Calligraphy meets street art in Beirut|website=www.aljazeera.com|access-date=2016-10-09}}</ref> |
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| ⚫ | Yazan was initially influenced by the western hip hop and graffiti scene from the |
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| ⚫ | Yazan's [[calligraffiti]] style uses Arabic letters to form intricate, modern and stylized Arabic calligraphy compositions that are an essential element of his art work.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.digital-development-debates.org/issue-18-cities--beirut--transforming-the-face-of-beirut.html|title=Issue 18 Cities - Beirut - Transforming the Face of Beirut - Digital Development Debates|website=www.digital-development-debates.org|access-date=2016-10-09}}</ref> His calligraphy does not focus on the meaning of the words but on their shape, movement, or the composition: traditional Arabic calligraphy for him has always been formed by the meaning of the words (usually excerpts from the Koran, poems, or sayings) and the shape of the calligraphy; Yazan challenges tradition by removing the meaning of the words to focus solely on the task of the calligrapher. Hence his calligraphy is used as a "pixel" for a portrait, a way to note music, or a way to show movement. |
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| ⚫ | Yazan was initially influenced by the western hip hop and graffiti scene from the US and Europe. But living in the Middle-East, he soon turned his attention to Middle Eastern art and Arabic calligraphy through an Arabic calligraphy book that his uncle shared with him.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.thenational.ae/arts-lifestyle/art/20151005/lebanese-calligraphy-artist-creates-murals-of-beloved-local-figures|title=Lebanese calligraphy artist creates murals of beloved local figures {{!}} The National|access-date=2016-10-09}}</ref> Yazan subsequently evolved his style to paint images, words and letters that have an oriental touch and inspiration. Another distinctive element of Yazan's art is the focus on portraits as a central element within a mural or a painting<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.thenational.ae/arts-lifestyle/art/20151005/lebanese-calligraphy-artist-creates-murals-of-beloved-local-figures|title=Lebanese calligraphy artist creates murals of beloved local figures {{!}} The National|access-date=2016-10-09}}</ref> In addition to his murals, the artist has recently started installing sculptures made of cement on the street. |
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His biggest murals is a full building painted with the portrait of Lebanese singer Sabah at the heart of Hamra, Beirut, on a building that housed before the Lebanese Civil War the Horseshoe cafe, a popular hangout for Arab artists and writers such as [[Paul Guiragossian]], [[Nizar Qabbani]] and [[Mahmoud Darwish]]. Another mural in Germany that attracted international attention was entitled "The Flower Salesman" which depicts a Syrian child called Fares that used to sell flowers in Beirut and died during the Syrian Civil War. |
His biggest murals is a full building painted with the portrait of Lebanese singer Sabah at the heart of Hamra, Beirut, on a building that housed before the Lebanese Civil War the Horseshoe cafe, a popular hangout for Arab artists and writers such as [[Paul Guiragossian]], [[Nizar Qabbani]] and [[Mahmoud Darwish]]. Another mural in Germany that attracted international attention was entitled "The Flower Salesman" which depicts a Syrian child called Fares that used to sell flowers in Beirut and died during the Syrian Civil War. |
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==Exhibitions== |
==Exhibitions== |
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* Huna/k, Dortmund (Germany), September 2015 |
* Huna/k, Dortmund (Germany), September 2015 |
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* UrbanArt Biennale 2015, Saarbrücken (Germany), March–November 2015 |
* UrbanArt Biennale 2015, Saarbrücken (Germany), March–November 2015 |
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[[Category:Lebanese artists]] |
[[Category:Lebanese artists]] |
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[[Category:1993 births]] |
[[Category:1993 births]] |
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[[Category:American University of Beirut alumni]] |
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[[Category:Harvard Business School alumni]] |
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[[Category:Calligraffiti artists]] |
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Latest revision as of 19:55, 4 November 2024
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Yazan Halwani (Arabic: يزن حلواني) is a Lebanese artist from Beirut. Yazan is best known for his public art displays, including graffiti, murals, and sculptures. His murals can be found on buildings across Beirut, and often depict portraits of important Lebanese and Middle Eastern figures.
Halwani, a graduate of American University of Beirut and Harvard Business School,[1] started painting to protest against Lebanon's traditionally-sectarian politics and the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990).[2] His art celebrates Lebanon's unique cultural heritage and the creation of a unified national identity of secularism. Yazan's most recognizable work is the Eternal Sabah mural in Beirut's Hamra neighborhood, portraying the famous Lebanese singer and artist, Sabah.
Artwork and style
[edit]
In 2007, Yazan started experimenting with graffiti benefiting from the loose regulation towards graffiti in Beirut. In 2011, Yazan decided to change his style and create a mural style that is independent of the west, by leveraging Arabic calligraphy and portraits of Arab people. He frequently reports that his shift in style was accompanied by a shift in attitude: "Graffiti has a strong connotation of vandalism, but in my city most people do vandalism: Lebanese Civil War, corrupt politicians. This is why I try to make my murals a constructive expression of the city."[3]
Yazan's calligraffiti style uses Arabic letters to form intricate, modern and stylized Arabic calligraphy compositions that are an essential element of his art work.[4] His calligraphy does not focus on the meaning of the words but on their shape, movement, or the composition: traditional Arabic calligraphy for him has always been formed by the meaning of the words (usually excerpts from the Koran, poems, or sayings) and the shape of the calligraphy; Yazan challenges tradition by removing the meaning of the words to focus solely on the task of the calligrapher. Hence his calligraphy is used as a "pixel" for a portrait, a way to note music, or a way to show movement.
Yazan was initially influenced by the western hip hop and graffiti scene from the US and Europe. But living in the Middle-East, he soon turned his attention to Middle Eastern art and Arabic calligraphy through an Arabic calligraphy book that his uncle shared with him.[5] Yazan subsequently evolved his style to paint images, words and letters that have an oriental touch and inspiration. Another distinctive element of Yazan's art is the focus on portraits as a central element within a mural or a painting[6] In addition to his murals, the artist has recently started installing sculptures made of cement on the street.
Yazan's murals are characterized by their size, themes and portraits that include portraits of Arab and Lebanese artists, cultural icons, and faces of Arabs.
His biggest murals is a full building painted with the portrait of Lebanese singer Sabah at the heart of Hamra, Beirut, on a building that housed before the Lebanese Civil War the Horseshoe cafe, a popular hangout for Arab artists and writers such as Paul Guiragossian, Nizar Qabbani and Mahmoud Darwish. Another mural in Germany that attracted international attention was entitled "The Flower Salesman" which depicts a Syrian child called Fares that used to sell flowers in Beirut and died during the Syrian Civil War.
Exhibitions
[edit]- Huna/k, Dortmund (Germany), September 2015
- UrbanArt Biennale 2015, Saarbrücken (Germany), March–November 2015
- 32Bis, Tunis (Tunisia), June 2015
- “Du Bronx aux Rues Arabes” at the Institut du Monde Arab, Paris (France), April- July 2015
- Horouf Art Exhibition, Dubai (United Arab Emirates), February 2015
- Djerbahood Open Air Museum, Djerba (Tunisia), August 2014
- Singapore Art Fair, Singapore (Singapore), November 2014
- Liquid Art House, Boston (USA), May 2014
- Courtyard Gallery, Dubai (United Arab Emirates), March- April 2014
References
[edit]- ^ "Yazan Halwani - MBA - Harvard Business School". www.hbs.edu. Retrieved 2020-09-07.
- ^ "How a Beirut graffiti artist is using his murals to try to unite a fragmented city". the Guardian. 2015-09-22. Retrieved 2020-09-07.
- ^ "Q&A: Calligraphy meets street art in Beirut". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2016-10-09.
- ^ "Issue 18 Cities - Beirut - Transforming the Face of Beirut - Digital Development Debates". www.digital-development-debates.org. Retrieved 2016-10-09.
- ^ "Lebanese calligraphy artist creates murals of beloved local figures | The National". Retrieved 2016-10-09.
- ^ "Lebanese calligraphy artist creates murals of beloved local figures | The National". Retrieved 2016-10-09.
External links
[edit]- Yazan Halwani - Eternal Sabah (Beirut) , Yazan Halwani - Eternal Sabah (Beirut) by Nadia Asfour, Music by Karim Douaidy