by Dana Halawi
BEIRUT, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- A total of 35 young Arab artists displayed their artistic works at the ongoing third edition of the Arab Art fair in Lebanon's capital Beirut, aiming to send a message of hope in a country mired in countless challenges.
The artists expressed their sorrow over the loss of lives in the Israel-Hamas conflict and tensions along Lebanon's southern border with Israel, hoping that the fair, which runs from Nov. 2 to 5, would spread some positive vibes amid the current crisis.
Rabab Malaeb, a Lebanese mosaic artist, said both artists and other people were psychologically exhausted. Nevertheless, they wish to escape the depressing news that is aired on TV and social media every day.
"We try to leave our sorrows behind by focusing on our artwork and ways of making a positive impact on society amid the current challenging times," she said.
Malaeb said she felt sorry for the Arab artists who could not make it to the fair in Beirut amid the current situation, particularly the Gazan artists who were supposed to participate in the event.
"We were looking forward to meeting artists from other countries as the fair is supposed to be an event that unites all Arabs in one place," Malaeb said.
Farhat Farhat, director of EDUCITY, the organizer of the fair, told Xinhua he insisted on holding the event on schedule in order to create a positive atmosphere for those who spend their days glued to televisions to watch the sad news in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip.
"Lebanon has always endured challenges, be they are assassinations, or wars, but those challenges have never stopped people from getting through difficult times," Farhat said.
Farhat said he had heard some pessimistic comments from exhibitors and art enthusiasts ahead of the fair. However, he decided to launch the exhibition in order to create a positive buzz for both the artists who sent their artwork to the event without being able to show up in person and Lebanese viewers.
"Artists from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, and Gaza were all planning to participate in the event. Unfortunately, the unstable security situation and war in Gaza prevented them from showing up in person and they have sent their artwork to represent them during the event," said Farhat.
"We hope that in the following fairs, artists will be able to make it in person as it's essential to meet with other artists to facilitate future cooperation," he added.
Laura Taleb, a 47-year-old textiles artist, said she felt sad that Arab artists, particularly the Palestinian artists who contributed their work, were unable to attend the fair.
The Palestinian artists' works were important symbols of their willingness to contribute to the art scenery in the region, she added. ■
