Culture and art usually contribute, together, in building better communities, for they are a way of implementing development. This also goes in line with a better environment to live in, since it (environment) is about people’s relationship with their surroundings.
In one of Lebanon’s suburbs, and specifically in Ouzai area, we bumped into fresh, cool, paintings that reflect much of the communities’ way of life near the sea. There, you can see a picture that has nothing to do with the ongoing waste crisis in the country. Fishermen
Paintings of fish could be seen on buildings facing the sea. Many fishermen walk in the neighborhood, admiring the paintings and telling each other “They’re beautiful”.
Camille adra, from France, whose paintings are mostly about funny faces, told “greenarea.info”: “This project “Urban dawn volume 2” is a social experience that will be part of the exhibition that will take place in Beirut”, adding “we are showing these paintings in a very-open neighborhood. The people here are always asking me if I want some water, or coffee. They are very generous”.
According to him, “what we are doing shows another picture of Lebanon. There is a lot more to it than the garbage crisis”. Adra saw Lebanon as a very diversified environment, and said that he is happy to be among 50 other artists in this project.
On the other hand, the Brazilian artist Finok told us that “It’s not just about a painting being beautiful or not, but it’s all about providing something different for people to look at; something that might make then stop and look at while going to and fro home”.
Finok, whose familiar to some Lebanese traditions including food in his country, said enthusiastically that “people want us to paint near their houses”.
Children who became friends with the painters love the change happening near their home. They speak happily about it.
Adults’ faces also show satisfaction towards what is happening. Dalia Harake, tells us how glad she is to see the place beautified. “Their paintings give life to the place”, she says.
That type of art isn’t about beauty, the artists say… It’s just about people’s curiosity, thinking beyond the painting, or just smiling. A healthy environment is one where culture and art are never absent… and such initiatives of bringing art everywhere are more than amazing.
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