Lebanon’s Kahlil Gibran: The voice that united the East and the West

Lebanon’s Kahlil Gibran: The voice that united the East and the West
Almost a century after the publication of ‘The Prophet,’ Kahlil Gibran’s popularity continues to soar from generation to generation. (Getty Images) 
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Updated 27 October 2022
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Lebanon’s Kahlil Gibran: The voice that united the East and the West

Lebanon’s Kahlil Gibran: The voice that united the East and the West
  • For this week’s edition of our series on Arab icons, we profile the late Lebanese American artist Kahlil Gibran
  • The writer of ‘The Prophet’ continues to strike a chord with audiences across the world more than 90 years after his death

DUBAI: As a writer and painter who was equally accomplished in both disciplines, Kahlil Gibran is undoubtedly one of Middle East’s greatest cultural exports. The Lebanese-American artist, author and philosopher is best known for his 1923 book of prose poetry “The Prophet,” a book of 26 prose poetry fables written in English.

And while his work in English proved popular among the masses, the critical response, at the time, was less forgiving, perhaps because many of those critics didn’t yet have the tools to fairly judge a writer with strong Eastern influences.

Almost a century after the publication of “The Prophet,” however, Gibran’s popularity continues to soar from generation to generation.

“Gibran was the voice of the East that finally made it to the West and found that the West was hungry for spirituality,” Glen Kalem-Habib, a Lebanese-Australian filmmaker and research historian, and founder of the Kahlil Gibran Collective, tells Arab News. “Just take a look at the time period that he was around. There were a lot of great thinkers, poets, writers and artists and they all congregated in New York. So it was a great melting pot and Gibran had his finger on the on the pulse. He knew something great was coming; there was this industrialized nation that was being born and all this new technology coming out, there were such great innovations and thinking. So I think Gibran was kind of saying, ‘All these great technologies are going to help people. I’m going to write a book that helps people as well.’ And he did this by using his voice from the East that was Arabic in thought and process, because he was part of this incredible history of an area that dates back aeons. He was aware of that and he was in tune with that, whether it was the ‘Epic of Gilgamesh’ right through to the Bible and the Qur’an. It all happened in his backyard.”

Gibran was born in 1883 in the village of Bsharri near Mount Lebanon to Khalil Sa’ad Gibran and Kamila Rahmeh, both Maronite Christians. While his mother encouraged his sensitive and artistic nature (she famously gifted him a book featuring artwork by Michelangelo, which spurred in him a lifelong love for the artist and art in general), his father was a more sporadic presence.

After years of poverty and uncertainty, Kamila packed up her four children and moved to Boston to live with her relatives, leaving Gibran’s father behind in Lebanon. Kamila and the kids settled in Boston’s South End, at the time the second-largest Syrian-Lebanese-American community in the US.

Gibran, almost a teenager at the time, went to the Josiah Quincy School, where teachers soon noticed his artistic ability and he was soon also enrolled into the nearby art school, Denison House, where he was introduced to the avant-garde Boston artist F. Holland Day.

Gibran flourished. He quickly absorbed the works of Shakespeare, William Blake, W.B. Yeats and T.S. Eliot. “He was looking to make his mark. He was someone who lived a very sheltered life. Bsharri was so far removed, even from Beirut. So imagine, you know, 100-plus years ago, there wasn’t much (there) you could read, right? I’m pretty sure that it was very limited. So, one of the early impactful books he read was ‘Thus Spoke Zarathustra’ by Nietzsche. He was also inspired by Wagner’s music. His first published book was a treatise on Arabic music inspired by Wagner,” says Kalem-Habib.

Gibran was also heavily influenced by Arab literature and art, including “One Thousand and One Nights” and the ancient epic “Layla and Majnun.”

“He was sort of fusing all of these influences into (something) no one ever did before. And he really, really nailed it,” Kalem-Habib says.




A still from the 2014 animated movie 'Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet.' (GKIDS)

Gibran continues to find new audiences. In 2014, Mexican actress Salma Hayek — whose father is of Lebanese descent — produced an animated film adapting Gibran’s work, titled “Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet.”

While Hayek’s first exposure to Gibran was through her late Lebanese grandfather, she rediscovered the book years later as a college student, an experience that she told Entertainment Weekly “was very meaningful to me, because I felt like my grandfather was teaching me about life even though he was gone.”

Discussing the film, Hayek said, “I think it’s important that people remember there’s an Arab-American writer that wrote a book that has touched so many people. It’s sold more than 120 million copies around the world and it has influenced the lives of people of all religions and creeds, ages, colors, and backgrounds. And I think that’s relevant today. I also think it’s important that we are exposed to material that reminds us of the beauty of our humanity.”

A less high-profile but equally important adaptation came in the form of the stage musical “Broken Wings,” adapted from Gibran’s 1912 autobiographical novel.

Written by Lebanese-English West End star Nadim Naaman and Qatari composer Dana Al-Fardan, the musical is a love letter to Gibran and the Middle East. 

“Dana and I were introduced by mutual friends back in 2016. She was in London for a concert of her own and I was performing in ‘The Phantom of The Opera’ at the time. We discovered that we both wanted to write a musical of Middle Eastern heritage which would shine a positive light on the region. Kahlil Gibran immediately stood out as an iconic Middle Eastern figure who has transcended borders and is revered in the Middle East, Europe and America,” Naaman explains. “He became a perfect focus for us: to pay tribute to him and Lebanon and also to introduce him to a wider audience and celebrate his contribution to the literary world.

“Gibran has always resonated strongly with me. His books were scattered throughout my family home as a child, his words recited at weddings, at funerals and graduations. Furthermore, as a man of Lebanese heritage who has spent his life in the West, I relate strongly to the fact that Gibran, and many other Lebanese, have spent more of their lives outside of the country than in it. As an actor, musician and writer trying to represent Lebanon internationally, there is no better role model than Gibran,” he adds.

Since it was first published, “The Prophet” has never been out of print. It has been translated into more than 100 languages, making it among the top 10 most translated books in history. Its popularity soared in the 1960s, when American counterculture was on the rise, and later among the New Age movements. 

To celebrate the book’s centenary next year, Kalem-Habib’s collective is organizing several events across the US and possibly Middle East and will unveil a new monument in New York, a city where Gibran spent a considerable amount of time and where he took his last breath in 1931, aged 48.

“Gibran was so ahead of his time. He represents many philosophical and moral ideas that the world continues to strive towards in 2022,” says Naaman. “Here was a Middle Eastern immigrant who found a new home in the West, and was writing one century ago about gender equality and women’s rights, about harmony and tolerance between religions and nationalities, about the corruption of politicians and mistreatment of the working classes, about the ability to build a new home and find belonging if one has to leave one’s own birthplace. Essentially, these all remain mainstream narratives in the global media.”


White Milano hosts gala event with Saudi 100 Brands initiative

White Milano hosts gala event with Saudi 100 Brands initiative
Updated 21 September 2023
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White Milano hosts gala event with Saudi 100 Brands initiative

White Milano hosts gala event with Saudi 100 Brands initiative

DUBAI: White Milano, the international apparel and accessories trade show which famously takes place alongside Milan Fashion Week, and the Saudi 100 Brands project - an initiative by the Saudi Fashion Commission – hosted a gala event on Wednesday against the backdrop of the historic Palazzo Serbelloni in Milan.

A number of selected pieces from the collections of 40 Saudi fashion talents – ranging from couture, ready-to-wear fashion, handbags and footwear – were showcased at the event using scenography and choreography, and featuring dancers from the renowned La Scala Theatre.

Selected pieces from the collections of 40 Saudi fashion talents were showcased at the event using scenography and choreography, and featuring dancers from the renowned La Scala Theatre. (Supplied)

White Milano this week is welcoming the Saudi 100 Brands project as part of its EXPOWHITE program, taking place from Sept. 22-25.  

In line with its mission to foster a dialogue between the industry and global creative trends, the EXPOWHITE showcase will focus on brands and designers from countries like Saudi Arabia, Armenia, Brazil and South Africa.  

Guests at the event. (Supplied)

The Saudi 100 Brands project is an initiative by the Saudi Fashion Commission that supports established and emerging design talents from Saudi Arabia, who work across the ready-to-wear, modest, concept, premiere, demi-couture, bridal, bags and jewelry categories. 

The Saudi 100 Brands project showcase will be on display at the Padiglione Visconti.


Co-founder of Norway’s Masahat Festival on the challenges of adapting to a new culture 

Co-founder of Norway’s Masahat Festival on the challenges of adapting to a new culture 
Updated 21 September 2023
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Co-founder of Norway’s Masahat Festival on the challenges of adapting to a new culture 

Co-founder of Norway’s Masahat Festival on the challenges of adapting to a new culture 

LONDON: Norway’s Masahat Festival celebrates Arab culture across multiple genres and provides a platform for examining complex issues around history and identity.   

Attendees can listen to the mesmerizing vocals of Iraqi Egyptian Nadin Al-Khalidi, front singer of Tarraband, and participate in thought provoking seminars on topics such as “Pasts That Persist: Perspectives from Iraq and Palestine” and how to reclaim and take ownership of your own history after being written out of it for generations. Egyptian historian, Khaled Fahmy, Edward Keller Professor of North Africa and the Middle East at Tufts University, will speak on the latter subject.

Arab News spoke to Masahat’s Artistic Director Rana Issa to learn more about the aims and impact of the annual festival which she co-founded in 2015.   

Issa arrived in Norway from Lebanon in 2006. She had just completed her masters and proceeded to do her PhD at the University of Oslo. Today, she moves between Norway and Lebanon where she is an Assistant Professor of Translation Studies at the American University of Beirut. 

While her children are immersed in both Norwegian and Arab culture, for her, the experience of adapting to life in Norway has been more challenging.  

‘Once you leave your country you never really feel good again in a way because you become an exile. That never really leaves you. My parents are in Lebanon – my brother is in Dubai, my sister is in New York. That has a lot to do with how I perceive my life here.  

‘If I were to do it all over again, I wouldn’t have decided to leave Lebanon in that way. There’s something about leaving your homeland in haste that is quite traumatic. 

‘When I first came, I felt very lonely and this kind of loneliness I wouldn’t wish   even on my enemies,’ she said. 

In her work with Masahat, she is driven by a desire to help other minorities – not just Arab – to find their feet in their new homeland and to educate her fellow Norwegian citizens about Arab people.  

‘There’s a lot of misconceptions. They don’t, for example, understand that people can be Christian and living in the Middle East, and what they understand by Islam is so simplified and reductive,’ she said.  

Masahat is funded by the municipality of Oslo. “They pay our salaries and we get funding from other public bodies in Norway and have allies across cultural institutions and think tanks,” Issa explained.  

For those attending the festival, which runs from Sept. 21-24, the draw, says Issa, is the outstanding talent. 

‘The thing I love about Arab culture is how sophisticated it is. The reason why Masahat has been so successful in Norway is because the quality of our artists is really special,’ she said.  


Saudi Arabia’s Hia Hub lifestyle conference returns for third edition  

Saudi Arabia’s Hia Hub lifestyle conference returns for third edition  
Updated 21 September 2023
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Saudi Arabia’s Hia Hub lifestyle conference returns for third edition  

Saudi Arabia’s Hia Hub lifestyle conference returns for third edition  

DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s fashion and lifestyle conference Hia Hub is set to return for its third edition taking place from Nov. 3-7 in Riyadh’s JAX District.  

Hia Hub will host discussions, masterclasses, workshops, interactive exhibitions and live performances. 

Last year’s edition featured a lineup of 13 talks and panels along with three masterclasses led by leaders in fashion and beauty such as image architect Law Roach, celebrity makeup artist Mary Phillips, supermodel and actress Amber Valetta, fashion designer Zac Posen and entrepreneur and digital influencer Karen Wazen.  

For the third edition, Hia Hub is joining forces with the Saudi Fashion Commission’s annual event Fashion Futures to expand the conference’s program.  

“It’s bigger and bolder this year, bringing together some of the regional and global fashion industry’s most accomplished business leaders, designers, celebrities, and icons, alongside leading fashion houses and brands,” said Mike Fairburn, managing director of SRMGx, the creators and organizers of Hia Hub and the experiential arm of SRMG.  

“It is a truly unique 5-day event – a dynamic programme of seminars, talks, workshops, masterclasses, and live performances – that blends the latest trends and perspectives in fashion, art, design, music and contemporary culture,” he added.  

Meanwhile, Burak Çakmak, CEO of the Saudi Fashion Commission, said: “With the return of Fashion Futures, we are taking another step towards driving the development of Saudi’s fast-emerging fashion industry, unlocking opportunities and supporting our most promising creative talents. We look forward to welcoming some of the best and brightest minds to join us at Hia Hub this November.” 


Imaan Hammam, Loli Bahia grace Fendi show during Milan Fashion Week

Imaan Hammam, Loli Bahia grace Fendi show during Milan Fashion Week
Updated 21 September 2023
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Imaan Hammam, Loli Bahia grace Fendi show during Milan Fashion Week

Imaan Hammam, Loli Bahia grace Fendi show during Milan Fashion Week

DUBAI: Part-Arab models Imaan Hammam and Loli Bahia this week walked Kim Jones’ runway for Fendi during Milan Fashion Week.  

The show was attended by A-list supermodels and celebrities including Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, Kate Moss, Demi Moore, Cristina Ricci, Gwendoline Christie and Naomi Watts, who sat front row.  

Jones’ collection for Fendi – unveiled during the first day of Milan Fashion Week – was a twist on knitwear, anchored by leather. 

Hammam donned a baby blue knit jumper, with a grey-purple blazer and grey tailored shorts. (Getty Images)

The first look set the tone: A form-hugging color-block knit dresses in mocha, baby blue, salmon and ivory, with a double sash trailing at the waist lending drama and movement. A tri-colored clutch gave the right accent. 

Hammam donned a baby blue knit jumper, with a grey-purple blazer and grey tailored shorts that were asymmetric from the brand’s Spring/Summer 2024 collection. She held a bright yellow clutch and wore hot red gloves.  

Bahia wore a long figure-hugging grey dress, with matching gloves, and black boots.   

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Fendi (@fendi)

The collection overall was dainty: Knitwear was as a rule very fine, accented at times by thin golden chains creating details on open backs. Slinky, clinging monochrome knit dresses had peekaboo cutouts.  

The twinset trop gave way to built-in layers and sleeves that wrapped around the body, a mysterious swirl. Dresses ruched around the body, suggesting constant motion. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Fendi (@fendi)

A chunkier ribbed knit gave a chenille-soft appearance in a long jacket and skirt with a healthy front slit. Knit was also fashioned into a chainmail slip dress, with a coppery finish, or neon-orange wrap dress. 

Leather added substance: short color-block jackets paired with a matching knit mini-skirt.  

Contrasting gloves finished many looks. Bags were mostly held as if clutches; a tiny, flat bag dangled from gloved hands. 


Saudi designer Hala Abdullah: ‘I’m 100% driven by where I come from’

Saudi designer Hala Abdullah: ‘I’m 100% driven by where I come from’
Updated 21 September 2023
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Saudi designer Hala Abdullah: ‘I’m 100% driven by where I come from’

Saudi designer Hala Abdullah: ‘I’m 100% driven by where I come from’
  • Hala Abdullah discusses her new line of jewelry, ‘Foug,’ created in honor of National Day 

MARBELLA: In honor of Saudi Arabia’s National Day on Sept. 23, designer and entrepreneur Hala Abdullah has created a new fine jewelry collection, “Foug,” highlighting her country’s cultural heritage. Abdullah, who divides her time between the UAE and Saudi, founded her brand, Ofa, in 2017.  

“I am 100-percent driven by where I come from and the symbolism of Saudi, which I feel wasn’t as present in the world as it is right now,” Abdullah told Arab News. “This is my responsibility: I am from this country and I am representing it with my medium.”  

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by OFA (@ofaofficial)

The collection’s green tones reference the Saudi flag, and “foug,” while it has several meanings to Abdullah, symbolizes optimism. The name is partially inspired by an old song by Saudi singer Mohammed Abdu, who, in a grand manner, begins one of his songs with this hopeful Arabic word.  

“He says ‘foug’ for so long. It’s a flashback from my childhood,” Abdullah said. “The meaning of it also resonates with the change happening in Saudi right now and the spirit of everyone there.” 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by OFA (@ofaofficial)

Studded with green onyx gemstones and diamonds, the designs that comprise “Foug” are simple, elegant, and geometrical. Abdullah was particularly influenced by the traditional, repetitive diamond- and triangle-shaped weaving patterns (‘Al-Sadu’ and ‘Al-Qatt Al-Asiri’ respectively) that have been embroidered in textiles in the northern and southern parts of the Kingdom. The compact collection contains rings, statement necklaces, and earrings, and are named after Saudi’s varying landscapes.  

“We’re not trying to play it safe,” said Abdullah. “We’re trying to make a statement with pieces that anyone can wear, not just Saudis.”  

While Abdullah’s pieces are delicate, it’s clear that she is a young woman with a strong personality. She’s something of her father’s daughter, and spent many years in Jeddah with an interest in architecture. “When I was a teenager, I was actually renovating my family’s house,” she said. “My dad was in real estate and I used to go with the workers and work with the cement. I would give them ideas, which they listened to. I gained confidence early on.”   

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by OFA (@ofaofficial)

One of her inspirations is the legendary Chinese folk heroine Hua Mulan (whose story was made famous through the 1998 Disney film), who courageously joined the army in her aged father’s stead by dressing as a male warrior, and ended up saving the emperor’s life.  

“It was never ‘Cinderella’ for me. I watched ‘Mulan’ more than 70 times,” Abdullah said. “Mulan was a powerful girl. Although she was pretty and delicate, she felt a sense of responsibility and duty for her country. She was strong and fearless and I related to that story more.”  

This partly inspired one of the earliest motifs for her brand: the Arabic sword, specifically its middle, cross-like intersecting part.  

Abdullah studied architecture at the Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles. The city proved to be an eye-opening experience compared to her life in Saudi to that point. “Everyone around me was very creative and looked very unique — blue hair, tattoos... it was a bit of a shock for me sometimes. But I was pushed to think outside the box and it was a really inspiring experience,” she said. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by OFA (@ofaofficial)

Ultimately, though, she decided against pursuing architecture as a career. “When you do architecture in the real world, there’s a lot of limitations,” she explained. “I found that jewelry was the same as architecture — the software, the process, the 3D printing — but minus the limitations.”  

She added that she felt something was missing when it came to jewelry design in the region. “It was either the big brands that everyone was wearing or the very traditional, gold souk-type of brands,” she explained. “I didn’t feel like there was a brand that I could relate to. That was what was lacking in the Arab world.” 

“Ofa” stands for the famous saying: ‘One for all, all for one.’ Unlike many homegrown Middle Eastern enterprises, Abdullah refrained from using her own name for her brand, instead adopting a more collective identity.  

“I wanted it be about community,” she said. “I think about it as a legacy and I see myself handing over to my kids one day. I’m really in it for the long run.”