© Marie-Jose Ged
Li Beirut (for Beirut) Painting by Marie-Jose Ged
Not For Sale
Sold by Marie-Jose Ged
Certificate of Authenticity included
This artwork appears in 3 collections
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Original Artwork
Painting,
Oil
on Canvas
- Dimensions Height 59.1in, Width 39.4in
- Categories Paintings under $20,000 Expressionism
What do you say when the only name of "Beirut" brings in you a rush of emotions ranging from love, nostalgia, and tenderness to sadness, discuss and anger? How can you explain in simple words this dichotomy, what can be said when you feel your heart inflated from love, your throat closed up from sadness and spasm in your stomach from anger?[...]
What do you say when the only name of "Beirut" brings in you a rush of emotions ranging from love, nostalgia, and tenderness to sadness, discuss and anger? How can you explain in simple words this dichotomy, what can be said when you feel your heart inflated from love, your throat closed up from sadness and spasm in your stomach from anger? Beirut for me is all of that... It's a dream that adulthood thought me to forego, it's a memory of love and pain constantly twirling together, it's a bitter disappointment of missed opportunities, it's smiling faces and loving arms, it's frustration after frustration, it's a chaotic world where extremes are the norm.
It is blocks and blocks of concrete jungle, a jungle made out of old, dirty, black, run downed walls. It is a crippled democracy, taken hostage by corruption, political war lords, a segregational system that divides its citizens, and an imposed fear of "the others". It is an economical melt down, a social disaster, an environmental catastrophe. It is an airport where tears are always present, to wave goodbye to those who decide to leave, in search of some decency.
It is nested villages with red tiles roofs, colouring an endless see of green, waves of beautiful mountains headed to the shores. It is the smell of "Zaatar", olives, fresh bread, "Kaak", mint and coffee, the amazing ride that your taste buds can take you on when you sink your teeth in some crispy, nutty and sugary "Baklava". It is a rich tapestry of temples, palaces, and ruins depicting the history of mankind from roman and greeks to ottoman. Beautiful ruins standing in the face of time, reminiscent of a glorious past. It is a sacred land, the birthplace of many holy men and women, a place of faith and worship. It is a breeze that refreshes you in those long lazy hot summer afternoon. It is a family gathering with smily faces and big hearts, a nation of resilient people that embrace life despite all, talk loud, laugh hard, and love deeply.
It is for those people that I dedicate this painting. After the war Beirut was rebuilt. New walls, fresh paint, modern pavement. Rushing to erase the signs of the war, hoping to attract investments, cleaning the streets, shoving away gravel and weed, we forgot the most essential part: people. No one apologised for all the atrocities Lebanese had to endure. No one thanked them for their sacrifices. No one acknowledged their bravery. No one applauded their strength. No one mended their wounds. No one guided them towards peace.
No national treaty (those imposed by external countries can't count), no national apology, no civil war history.
As a result Lebanese still carry the war inside them. Beirut, although rebuilt, is a broken city, a place where hearts are heavy, were spirits are tired, and where fear is constant.
The painting depicts an old Lebanese house facade. It is my homage to the heritage we are loosing in Beirut. beautiful old houses being replaced by high-rise buildings with no personality. The view is what you typically see of Lebanon from the shores. The first glance once your plane is ready to land. The part of the facade that is inside the women's body is still destroyed, just like during war time. Nevertheless, there is beauty, colors and feelings inside this facade. The part of the windows that are outside the women's body are rebuilt, but they are in black and white, there is no beauty, no feelings, no personality. It is my way to say that as long as the human heart is not mended, Beirut will not regain its might.
It is blocks and blocks of concrete jungle, a jungle made out of old, dirty, black, run downed walls. It is a crippled democracy, taken hostage by corruption, political war lords, a segregational system that divides its citizens, and an imposed fear of "the others". It is an economical melt down, a social disaster, an environmental catastrophe. It is an airport where tears are always present, to wave goodbye to those who decide to leave, in search of some decency.
It is nested villages with red tiles roofs, colouring an endless see of green, waves of beautiful mountains headed to the shores. It is the smell of "Zaatar", olives, fresh bread, "Kaak", mint and coffee, the amazing ride that your taste buds can take you on when you sink your teeth in some crispy, nutty and sugary "Baklava". It is a rich tapestry of temples, palaces, and ruins depicting the history of mankind from roman and greeks to ottoman. Beautiful ruins standing in the face of time, reminiscent of a glorious past. It is a sacred land, the birthplace of many holy men and women, a place of faith and worship. It is a breeze that refreshes you in those long lazy hot summer afternoon. It is a family gathering with smily faces and big hearts, a nation of resilient people that embrace life despite all, talk loud, laugh hard, and love deeply.
It is for those people that I dedicate this painting. After the war Beirut was rebuilt. New walls, fresh paint, modern pavement. Rushing to erase the signs of the war, hoping to attract investments, cleaning the streets, shoving away gravel and weed, we forgot the most essential part: people. No one apologised for all the atrocities Lebanese had to endure. No one thanked them for their sacrifices. No one acknowledged their bravery. No one applauded their strength. No one mended their wounds. No one guided them towards peace.
No national treaty (those imposed by external countries can't count), no national apology, no civil war history.
As a result Lebanese still carry the war inside them. Beirut, although rebuilt, is a broken city, a place where hearts are heavy, were spirits are tired, and where fear is constant.
The painting depicts an old Lebanese house facade. It is my homage to the heritage we are loosing in Beirut. beautiful old houses being replaced by high-rise buildings with no personality. The view is what you typically see of Lebanon from the shores. The first glance once your plane is ready to land. The part of the facade that is inside the women's body is still destroyed, just like during war time. Nevertheless, there is beauty, colors and feelings inside this facade. The part of the windows that are outside the women's body are rebuilt, but they are in black and white, there is no beauty, no feelings, no personality. It is my way to say that as long as the human heart is not mended, Beirut will not regain its might.
Related themes
Born and raised in Beirut, Lebanon, during the civil war and the most difficult times the country faced, she graduated from "Universite Saint-Joseph", with a masters in Economics, and graduated from[...]
Born and raised in Beirut, Lebanon, during the civil war and the most difficult times the country faced, she graduated from "Universite Saint-Joseph", with a masters in Economics, and graduated from "Universite Saint-Esprit Kaslik" with a pre-PhD in Marketing. She continued her studies at the London School of Business, where she received a post-graduate diploma in Marketing. She then travelled around the world, discovering Europe, the United States and Asia. She is currently living in Singapore with her husband and daughter, where she is a lecturer in Economics. She is a self-taught artist whose love and passion for painting led her to push the boundaries of her talent, and share her vision of art.
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Nationality:
LEBANON
- Date of birth : 1979
- Artistic domains:
- Groups: Lebanese Contemporary Artists
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