- Title: Young Lebanese designers collaborate to showcase spherical designs
- Date: 2nd October 2016
- Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) CREATIVE SPACE STUDENT, AHMAD AMER, SAYING: "I saw all the spheres that the designers did, and I noticed how diverse they are and how they are different one from the other, you start to see each their own identity in their sphere. I really liked the gathering because you see a lot of young designers here, it is really nice."
- Embargoed: 17th October 2016 10:43
- Keywords: Art Lebanon design exhibition sphere ball local talent
- Location: ANTELIAS, LEBANON
- City: ANTELIAS, LEBANON
- Country: Lebanon
- Topics: Arts/Culture/Entertainment
- Reuters ID: LVA00852B9TG5
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Lebanese artists came together for a project to showcase visual interpretations of the sphere in the seaside town of Antelias in Lebanon, giving local creatives a chance to showcase their talent.
The SFERA exhibition, which opened on Wednesday (September 28) enabled visitors to mingle with artists as they took in sea views.
Local and international performers, designers, and art enthusiasts enjoyed the music, cocktails and food while they perused.
Bokja, the Beirut based surface fabrication studio, put on the exhibition with the help of Lebanese designers and Aishti, a well known brand specialising in fashion and luxury products.
"The idea was to make something for the Lebanese designers, and because Bokja are really good, we told them in this place there is an Art foundation, there is a museum as well as everything related to fashion. We needed the Lebanese touch of the local designers to have input, to come and see what they want to do, something that fit with Aishti and this place specifically, we wanted to invite them. Credit is also due to Bokja that co-ordinated with them and the Aishti team that decided how to do this exhibition if you want to call it that," said the the chair and chief executive of Aishti, Tony Salame.
Hoda Nawam Baroudi, manager and designer at Bokja said right from the outset they wanted to include local artists in the project and decided to give all participants a central theme to bring together the range of contributions.
"When Tony Salame offered us the chance to do this collaboration, we found that we would really like to include as many Lebanese designers as we could, because we love a lot of the work of the local talent. We said let's give them one item that they all should work on, and we saw that the sphere could be well thought about," she said.
Lebanese interior architect and designer, Richard Yasmine said Lebanese designers had forgone international offers to take up the opportunity to showcase their work at the spherical exhibition.
"I wanted to work on this event that is happening here in Beirut, because it is a necessity to Beirut and to Lebanon to always have various events of this calibre, we usually participate outside Lebanon, in Europe or the Arab countries. The people should also see that in Lebanon we have designers and architects that are able to create events in the same level of the outside world," he said.
The initiative has attracted the attention of many young international Lebanese designers, allowing them to network with people in the Lebanese art world.
"I lived in New York, when I got to Lebanon, I moved back recently, and they introduced me this project and I thought it was a great initiative to get to know the different artists that are in Lebanon, and the spectrum of creativity that everyone has to redesign a same ball," said designer, Bassima Chidiac.
Although the brief was to produce a sphere, several artists interpreted the request as they saw fit, producing a plethora of shapes and designs.
"I saw all the spheres that the designers did, and I noticed how diverse they are and how they are different one from the other, you start to see each their own identity in their sphere. I really liked the gathering because you see a lot of young designers here, it is really nice."
All of the art on display is available for purchase with part of the proceeds going to the Nadia Khoury Fund, a charity supporting local artisan and evolving craftsmanship.
The spherical masterpieces will be on display for a limited period, with the hope that local artisans will be encouraged to use the space again for other artistic endeavours in the future. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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