Lebanese painter Ihab Ahmad’s ‘spontaneous’ Pop art offers a joyful escape 

Lebanese painter Ihab Ahmad’s ‘spontaneous’ Pop art offers a joyful escape 
Ahmad started to paint and draw at the age of eight. (Supplied)
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Updated 20 January 2023
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Lebanese painter Ihab Ahmad’s ‘spontaneous’ Pop art offers a joyful escape 

Lebanese painter Ihab Ahmad’s ‘spontaneous’ Pop art offers a joyful escape 
  • The Lebanese painter’s vibrant, busy work is inspired by modernist masters 

DUBAI: The Lebanese Pop artist Ihab Ahmad was born in 1983, in the midst of Lebanon’s brutal civil war. To escape the violence, Ahmad and his family moved to Cyprus in 1988. He may have been only five years old at the time, but the environment of the Mediterranean island made a lasting impression on him and now heavily influences his art.  

Ahmad started to paint and draw at the age of eight. “I felt I needed to do something with art to explore my emotions and to express myself,” he tells Arab News. Even though he studied (and worked in) business management and hospitality, he continued to practice art on the side. Eventually, he says, “I decided to do what I love.” He became a full-time painter. 

 

 

When Ahmad and his family returned to their native country in 1991 the war was over, but something felt off. “It was difficult for me,” says Ahmad. “It was a big shift from the Lebanon that I knew. It wasn’t easy to meet new friends, a new circle of people.” 

The feeling of being dislocated from home continued into adulthood. Last year, Ahmad moved from Beirut to Dubai as a result of Lebanon’s multidimensional social and political crises, from financial collapse to power failure, which were impacting his day-to-day life and productivity. “In Beirut, you have different reactions because you’re exposed to problems every day. Life in Dubai is more stable. It’s smoother. Beirut is very crowded,” he says.  

 

 

 

“Crowded” is an apt description of Ahmad’s artwork too: maze-like, colorful canvases and sculptures full of juxtaposed symbols, from eyes to animals, crowns to flowers, and hearts to squares. He is inspired by the giants of 20th-century modernism, including Paul Klee, Joan Miró, and Pablo Picasso. And color, dictating the mood of every piece, plays a key role.  

“The most important element is color. Color is abstract yet you can reflect all your emotions through it. If you put one color, you can express many feelings, so it’s a strong element in art,” he explains. 

 

 

Ahmad’s paintings have been exhibited across the region, most recently at Dubai’s upscale restaurant La Cantine du Faubourg. A large vertical mural he created stands in Beirut’s Achrafieh neighborhood. He also opened the Beirut Art Studio — a cultural hub that he hopes will nurture the creative skills of children and adults — in 2016.  

It usually takes Ahmad around one week to finish a piece. He does not sketch out his ideas beforehand — a surprising revelation, given how much detail each work contains. “It’s spontaneous. I create the composition in my mind before I start. Of course, I think about the colors and the style, but not in detail. I leave myself to experiment on the canvas, because sometimes I start working on a piece, then after two or three days, I find myself ending up with a different piece,” he says. “I don’t think much when I work, honestly. I’m always experimenting. It’s a way to express my thoughts.”  

 

 

Ahmad describes his work as joyful, but you could also argue that there is a sense of confusion, tension and discomfort in its crowded characters contoured with thick black lines. It could be viewed as a representation of modern life’s constant sensory overload, particularly in pieces such as “Lost in Google Maps,” “Marshmallow City,” or “Inner Peace.”   

 

 

Undeniably, there is joy here too, though, in his visions of abundance, energy, wildness, dreams, and hope. Ahmad’s work is an homage to youth and all its memories. He hopes his work makes people happy.  

“I try to escape with my art to another place, where you find peace, love, and beauty,” he says. “All my artworks reflect joy and happiness. In art, I think people miss that.”  


Princess Rajwa attends congress meetings with husband

Princess Rajwa attends congress meetings with husband
Updated 21 min 16 sec ago
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Princess Rajwa attends congress meetings with husband

Princess Rajwa attends congress meetings with husband

DUBAI: Princess Rajwa Al-Hussein this week accompanied her husband, Jordan’s Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah II, on his trip to the US for his meeting with Congress members at Capitol Hill.

Fans had their eyes on Rajwa’s style and quickly took to Instagram to share her outfit details.

The Jordanian royal was dressed in a white funnel-neck pedernal blouse by Canadian British designer Edeline Lee and a black midi-skirt by Dior. She added a pop of color to her look by wearing hot-pink slingback Fendi heels and a matching Baguette phone pouch in patent leather.

The couple then flew back to Jordan.

The prince shared a picture of him, his wife and his younger brother Prince Hashem and wrote on Instagram: “Checking in on Hashem this morning.”

In the picture, Rajwa wore an off-white set, which she paired with a white undershirt. Her blazer was a Jacquemus’s “Le Papier” square jacket.

She topped off the look with a white Gucci GG Marmont leather bag.


Gigi Hadid walks the Versace runway in Milan

Gigi Hadid walks the Versace runway in Milan
Updated 22 min 49 sec ago
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Gigi Hadid walks the Versace runway in Milan

Gigi Hadid walks the Versace runway in Milan

DUBAI: US-Dutch-Palestinian model Gigi Hadid this week graced the Versace runway in a yellow dress during Milan Fashion Week.

The catwalk star wore a slinky gown with a cowl neckline and a thigh-high slit from the Italian luxury label’s spring/summer 2024 collection.

Hadid was joined by Dutch-Moroccan-Egyptian model Imaan Hammam. She wore a black form-fitting dress with a low back.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Versace (@versace)

Donatella Versace tapped the Barbie zeitgeist with a collection that managed to be both girlish and sophisticated.

In Versace’s Barbie world, gingham and checks were the stars, in mostly pastels, the perfect palette for straight mini-dresses, flouncy shorts and collarless skirt suits, featuring pretty details such as covered buttons and bow-shaped barrettes.

For Power Barbie, there were black-and-white check suits, leather combos and cocktail dresses, worn with an open-toe heel that pulled up into a leather sock.


Jorja Smith performs at Azimuth festival in AlUla

Jorja Smith performs at Azimuth festival in AlUla
Updated 43 sec ago
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Jorja Smith performs at Azimuth festival in AlUla

Jorja Smith performs at Azimuth festival in AlUla

ALULA: A stellar lineup of stars performed on the second day of Saudi Arabia’s Azimuth festival in AlUla, including British singer and songwriter, Jorja Smith. 

Smith performed some of her hits, including “Be Honest” and “Go Go Go.” 

The music sensation was joined by stars form around the world who performed on the second and last night of the festival, which forms part of Saudi Arabia’s 93rd National Day celebrations.

The lineup included performances by Dope Lemon, Chet Faker, Saint Levant, Shkoon Live, Ame & Dixon, Tinariwen, Vinyl Mode, Dish Dash, Zone+, Kayan, Baloo, and more.

On Thursday, The Kooks, Thievery Corporation, Peggy Gou, Nooriyah, RY X and Cairokee performed for fans.

AlUla Moments’ collaboration with Spotify allowed fans to check out the lineup on the Azimuth AlUla Official Playlist.

The festival vibes were enhanced with Azilook stations for makeup, hair, nails and henna tattoos. There was also an opportunity to shop for attire from Creative Collection, accessories from Qurmoz and perfumes from SURGE.

In addition, several food vendors were available, including Gun Bun, SALT, Out of Line, Just Chill, Creamery, Baroque and Maui.


Review: ‘Wrestlers’ deserves to be Netflix’s latest breakout hit

Review: ‘Wrestlers’ deserves to be Netflix’s latest breakout hit
Updated 14 sec ago
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Review: ‘Wrestlers’ deserves to be Netflix’s latest breakout hit

Review: ‘Wrestlers’ deserves to be Netflix’s latest breakout hit
  • Documentary on the Ohio wrestling scene is bursting with heart

LONDON: The mark of a great documentary is when audiences feel like they’ve learned something — when a hitherto unexplored world is examined and explained in a way that makes sense or interrogated and investigated in order to shed new light on things previously unseen. A truly phenomenal documentary, however, not only does all of the above, but it makes viewers actually care about the world they’re exploring.

Netflix’s “Wrestlers” is a remarkable piece of filmmaking. Director Greg Whiteley (“Last Chance U,” “Cheer”) and his team have created an emotional, intimate look inside the world of the Ohio Valley Wrestling league. Once the pathway to the big time (with alumni that include Brock Lesnar, The Miz, John Cena, Dave Bautista, Randy Orton and others), OVW is struggling to make ends meet. New investors Matt Jones and Craig Greenberg have rescued the franchise, for now, but find themselves in conflict with owner (and legendary wrestler) Al Snow, as their desire to increase revenue and marketability comes up against Snow’s uncompromising commitment to crafting storylines and matches of the utmost quality.

“Wrestlers” is directed by Greg Whiteley. (YouTube)

Whiteley takes us deep into the lives of Snow, the new owners, and the wrestlers — standouts include Cash Flo, Shera and Haley J, but there are so many fascinating characters at the heart of OVW that seven episodes don’t feel even close to enough. By showing us their lives, and just how much wrestling means to them, the day-to-day grind of keeping the league afloat feels uncompromisingly real. It’s genuinely heartbreaking to see the efforts of Snow and his roster of wrestlers draw in just a few extra attendees, and it’s jaw-droppingly uncomfortable to get a firsthand glimpse of the stresses Jones and Snow are under as they reach the culmination of OVW’s summer tour.

To reveal anything more would undermine the gravitas of the season finale, which deserves to be seen far and wide. “Wrestlers” is a remarkable show. Whether or not you care about wrestling at the start, you’ll care about the people behind OVW by the time the curtain drops on season one. Here’s hoping there’s more in store.


Beyonce champions Georges Hobeika on tour for third time 

Beyonce champions Georges Hobeika on tour for third time 
Updated 22 September 2023
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Beyonce champions Georges Hobeika on tour for third time 

Beyonce champions Georges Hobeika on tour for third time 

DUBAI: US pop superstar Beyonce championed Lebanese designer Georges Hobeika during her Renaissance World Tour stop in Dallas this week — the third time she has sported a Hobeika design during her current tour. 

The multi-award-winning singer selected a glitzy turquoise gown embellished with silver Swarovski crystals from the couturier’s Fall 2023 collection.

The first time Beyonce wore one of Hobeika’s designs was in June when she performed in Cologne, Germany. On that occasion, she wore a custom-made catsuit embellished with nude-illusion panels, pearls and silver sequins. The 41-year-old singer paired the ensemble with black velvet gloves, thick-heeled pumps and custom Tiffany & Co. jewelry.

In July, at her New Jersey show, Beyonce wore a fully embroidered dress — crafted from pink tulle — featuring shimmering crystals and completed the look with tulle gloves and a beaded headpiece made entirely of 3D embroidered flowers. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by JAD HOBEIKA (@jadhobeika)

Hobeika is not the only Arab designer whose outfits Beyonce has selected for her tour. She also showed off a gown from Omani label Atelier Zuhra in Las Vegas and one from Lebanese designer Nicolas Jebran in St. Louis, Missouri.