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Egyptian singer Sherine Abdel-Wahab became the first Arab artist to be awarded at the Billboard Women in Music Awards.
Sherine, 43, claimed the title of Billboard Arabia, a partnership between Billboard and SRMG, a Saudi-integrated media group.
She became one of seven winners of the Global Force Awards at Billboard Women in Music, part of the Billboard Awards held at the YouTube Theatre in Los Angeles on 7 March.
Global Force also included Annalisa (Billboard Italy), Maria Becerra (Billboard Argentina), Sarah Geronimo (Billboard Philippines), Nini Nutsubidze (Billboard Georgia), Tia Ray (Billboard China), and Luísa Sonza (Billboard Brasil).
Sherine was awarded for her Kalam Eineh at No. 1 and El-Watar El-Hassas at No. 2 which topped Billboard Arabia’s global flagship charts.
In her acceptance speech, Sherine expressed her appreciation for Billboard, saying “I am very proud you enjoyed my work, and of course, I am thrilled and proud that there is a music award specially for women. I hope that my work will always reach the entire world.”
Billboard Arabia was launched in June 2023 to shed light on Arab artists, while pledging “to be the premiere global destination for artists with Arab roots.”
According to Billboard Arabia, the platform follows the well-established parameters set by Billboard over eight decades, drawing data from leading digital streaming platforms like Spotify, Anghami, YouTube, and Apple Music, reflecting Arab music preferences globally.
In its inaugural year, Billboard Arabia included ElGrandeToto, Marwan Pablo, Amr Diab, and Ahmed Saad in its top five Arab artists.
Renowned artist who died in Beirut this week spent 2 decades studying and working in Rome, and had his work showcased across the world.
The veteran Lebanese master Hussein Madi, renowned for his vibrant paintings, has died in Beirut. Often called the “Lebanese Picasso,” Madi crafted his own visual language, peppered with bird motifs, curvy women, and geometrical symmetry, that made his bold oeuvre look instantly recognizable amongst Arab art enthusiasts.
Fellow artists and gallerists took to social media to offer their condolences. On Instagram, the Lebanese artist Abed Al-Kadiri posted some old snapshots of Madi in his studio and wrote. “Today at his burial ceremony Madi joined his flock of birds, flying alone, united with himself, just as he always lived.”
Maliha Tabari, founder of Dubai’s Tabari Artspace, said that Madi was the first artist she worked with in 2003, which proved to be an invaluable experience. “I’ll never forget the afternoons that would turn to evenings spent on his balcony in Beirut, delving into intense discussions of form explained by him through the curve of a pomegranate or a bird’s wing,” Tabari posted. “We lost not only a key figure from our region’s art journey, but also a father figure.”
Madi, who was also a sculptor, printmaker, educator and press illustrator, was born in the southern Lebanese town of Shebaa in 1938. While his parents reportedly did not approve of his artistic pursuits, it was his encouraging grandfather that saw potential in Madi. He left his parents’ home at the tender age of 19. He reportedly supported himself financially by submitting caricatures to newspapers in Lebanon and Iraq.
In the early 1960s, Madi was a student at the Lebanese Academy of Fine Arts. He later went on to have an international education, by traveling to the exciting art capital of Rome, in 1963, where he enrolled at the Accademia di Belle Arti.
He would spend nearly the next two decades of his life in Rome, before returning for good to Lebanon in 1986, while the civil war was still happening. “I bitterly regret not having remained in Rome because of all the frustrations I endured since my return to Beirut. In fact, civil war drastically affected the course of my life,” Madi once said.
In Lebanon, Madi devoted himself to his canvas, showcasing his work in several art galleries in Beirut. For 10 years, starting in 1982, Madi was also president of the Lebanese Art Association.
Madi’s paintings offer a visually appealing melange of thick lines, repetitive patterns, angular shapes, natural scenes, and bright colors. There is an element of spontaneity, presented in an orderly fashion. His images are also populated with figures, holding a book, a musical instrument — or simply reclining. “Despite all the mishaps, I was deeply happy. My work celebrated life,” he said.
Over the years, Madi’s artworks have been featured in auction sales at Christie’s and Sotheby’s. His works have also been acquired by regional and international art institutions including the Barjeel Art Foundation (Sharjah), Dalloul Art Foundation (Beirut), Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art (Doha), Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts (Amman), British Museum (London) and Institut du Monde Arabe (Paris).
source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)
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Renowned artist Hussein Madi who died in Beirut this week spent 2 decades studying and working in Rome, and had his work showcased across the world. (Instagram)
An Iraqi artist celebrated his culture and history by recreating a mythical beast in a whopping piece of art that took him a whole year to complete, according to Guinness World Records.
The Iraqi young artist, Ali Al-Rawi, created a work of art depicting the ancient Assyrian winged bull by wrapping copper wires around nails attached to wooden boards to create the largest wire art, measuring 203.76 square meters.
The Assyrian winged bull, known as ‘The Lamassu,’ is a mythological hybrid composed of the head of a human, the body of a bull, and the wings of a bird.
This giant artwork extends over the space of approximately 15 car parking spaces, and it took a whole year to complete.
Around 89 thousand nails and 250 kilograms of pure copper formed into wires of 35,714 meters were used on the surface of 18 wooden planks.
Al-Rawi works as a physician assistant in the city of Ramadi in the Iraqi western governorate of Anbar. His artistic talent grew from scribbling on a school bench to now creating epic pieces of art with wires.
Al-Rawi was inspired after seeing a German artist using that technique in 2016.
After a long search online, he couldn’t find anything to teach him how to do it, so he practiced until he mastered the technique on his own.
“I drew a sail at the beginning. But after that, it took me a lot of experimenting to select the usable materials,” Al-Rawi explained.
“I decided on copper wires and one-inch nails with small heads in order not to affect the shape of the work, to make sure the monuments insulate heat, moisture and scratching, as wood is also coated with three materials to serve this purpose,” Al-Rawi added.
Al-Rawi worked hard over the course of a year and had to cover the board’s entire dimensions with wires of different colors to meet the requirements of breaking the world record.
Al-Rawi moved the entire artwork to several different locations in Iraq to carry out the final measurements and filming.
source/content: iraqinews.com (headline edited)
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The Iraqi artist Ali Al-Rawi holding Guinness World Records certificate. Photo: Guinness World Records
Brazilian Henrique Tabchoury has listened to Arabic music records with his Lebanese father since he was a child and saw him get emotional with the songs of his homeland. Jamil Abrão Tabchoury was born in Tripoli, Lebanon, in 1917 and came to Brazil with his family in 1927 when he was nine.
After he died in 1988, Henrique inherited around 300 Arabic records from his father. Since then, he has dedicated his free time to rescuing, collecting, and cataloging Arab music material, many of them recorded in Brazil, as a way of honoring his father and the Arab colony that came to Brazil in the first diaspora in the late 19th century and early 20th.
A trained agronomist, Tabchoury works in agribusiness and, since the 2000s, started buying Arabic records for his collection, which today has around 4,000 pieces – some are not Arabic. He recently received a donation of 22 albums by Arab and Brazilian artists from the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC).
Tabchoury searches for Arabic music records in advertisements, used bookstores, antique shops, and websites. He collects Arab discography produced in Brazil and already has around 60 albums by Arab artists who lived and recorded in the country for labels such as Continental, Odeon, Arte-fone, and RCA Victor. The recordings were made between 1927 and 1935, and the collection includes records by artists such as Nagib Hankash and Nagib Mubarak.
“It’s a retrieval of the history of the Arab colony in Brazil; these artists were of fundamental importance for the community; they were an encouragement for the Arabs who came to Brazil,” said Tabchoury to ANBA.
The albums are mainly from Syrian and Lebanese artists. “I guess most are Lebanese artists as many sing odes to Lebanon, and 90% to 95% are Christian Arabs,” said Tabchoury. In his assessment, over half of these are Orthodox Christians, and less than half are Maronite Christians.
Of the 4,000 discs in his collection, he has already cataloged and digitalized around 580, and nearly 400 are Arabic music. “Cataloged, including private and serial recordings, we have 390 Arab 78rpm records produced in Brazil, apart from LP albums (vinyl), compact, and 10-inch records,” he informed. He intends to digitalize his entire collection and later launch a website with the music catalog and information about the artists.
One of his goals is to find all Arabic records of private recordings made in Brazil until the 1970s. After the 1970s, recordings from abroad began to arrive here,” he said. He also wants to find more old Arabic records, whether recorded in Brazil or not.
“Many people keep records for sentimental value, and some don’t know what to do and throw them in the trash. I’m looking for these records in my spare time; I go to other cities and talk to families. I have no commercial interest; my collection has a historical background and is a source of homage to the Arabs in Brazil,” he declared.
Tabchoury has already been to Araxá, Barretos, Uberaba, Goiânia, Curitiba, Porto Alegre, and Pindamonhangaba, among other Brazilian municipalities with Arab communities. “I want people to know I’m building this collection,” he said. He accepts donations and also buys records.
Gueddari’s art portrays the strength, resilience, and beauty of Moroccan women, in addition to advocating for their equal representation and recognition in society.
Houda Gueddari’s exhibition has captivated art enthusiasts at an ongoing art fair in the vibrant and culturally rich city of Rabat, with the artist’s work unveiling the remarkable artistic journey of a prominent Moroccan painter. Entitled “My Art, My Path,” the exhibition tackles pressing special issues as the artist uses her paintbrush as a weapon to create change.
In an exclusive interview with the gifted painter, Morocco World News had the opportunity to delve into her creative journey, discovering the personal anecdotes, challenges, as well as triumphs that have shaped her distinctive artistic style.
Between art and a more conventional career
Pursuing an artistic career, however, has not been easy for Gueddari, as she encountered many obstacles along the way. Faced with the pressure of pursuing a more conventional path, the Moroccan artist made a compromise and chose a paramedical career in dental prosthetics that still incorporated artistic elements.
But her passion for art remained unwavering. “I couldn’t let go of my dream,” she said. “I continued to seek opportunities to refine my skills, attending workshops and joining artist associations. These experiences opened doors to my first exhibitions and invaluable connections within the art community.”
The year 2016 marked a pivotal moment in Gueddafi’s artistic journey. With determination and vision, she founded the first art gallery in Fez, a space that showcased her own creations as well as supported and promoted fellow local artists.
“The gallery became a vibrant hub of artistic expression,” she reminisced, adding that “it was a joy to witness the dialogue and appreciation it fostered among art enthusiasts and collectors.”
When the COVID-19 crisis hit Morocco, it brought about unanticipated challenges, necessitating the temporary closure of the gallery amid a nationwide lockdown.
Yet, Gueddari did not allow this setback to extinguish her artistic spirit. “I adapted to the circumstances … I sought alternative ways to share my work with the world,” she said.
This includes the artist’s active presence on social media, notably her Instagram page with nearly 100k followers. Gueddari’s social media platforms serve as a medium for her to share her paintings, inspirations, and thoughts with art enthusiasts.
International recognition
Gueddari has made a name for herself as a renowned artist in Morocco, especially in the city of Fez where she lives.
In addition, her talent shone on the international stage with various achievements, including being selected as a finalist in a prestigious competition in Dubai. She also received acclaim for her work in Florence in 2022, winning the Leonardo Da Vinci international prize.
She fondly recalled her participation in the renowned Biennale art exhibition in Venice, Italy, and exhibiting at the Museum of Modern Art in Barcelona.
As travel restrictions were imposed worldwide, Gueddari redirected her focus toward promoting art within Morocco. In collaboration with the Marriott Hotel in Rabat, she orchestrated the ongoing “My Art, My Path” exhibition.
Speaking about her artworks, she said that she draws inspiration from various movements, including cubism and surrealism. “A little bit Picasso, a little bit Dali … I was inspired by several artists, but the truth is I really just try to be myself,” she explained.
Gueddari sees herself as a “committed artist.” She said: “When I paint, I paint my emotions, I lose my life, I paint everything that happens around me.”
Through her art, Gueddari tackles various themes and social issues, including women’s rights and the crucial role they play in Moroccan society.
“Women play an integral role in society, and their contributions should never be underestimated or undervalued. It is essential to create an environment where women have equal opportunities to thrive, express themselves, and pursue their dreams,” she said.
The “My Art, My Path” exhibition merges traditional and contemporary expressions, embodying the Moroccan artist’s profound connection to her homeland and its rich artistic heritage. “I am very proud to be Moroccan … I am very proud to represent my country as an artist,” she said.
Art as a constant quest for growth, self-discovery
Discussing the obstacles artists worldwide face, Gueddari acknowledged the challenges they have to endure, saying: “The life of a painter demands unwavering dedication and perseverance.”
“It is a constant quest for growth and self-discovery,” she stressed, underlining that these challenges serve as golden opportunities for artists to achieve personal and artistic growth, as well as push the boundaries of their creativity and inspire others along the way.
Despite the difficulties that artists encounter, Gueddari argued that the artistic journey is extremely rewarding. “The world of art teaches us tolerance, acceptance, openness to the other, and openness to the world.”
Through her work and her online presence, the Fez-based artist actively promotes art in Morocco, seeking to deepen the understanding and appreciation of the artist’s spirit and the nation’s artistic landscape.
Talking about the future of art in Morocco, she said that she is “very optimistic,” especially since the government has been giving more importance to art and culture.
After her exhibition in Rabat comes to an end, Gueddari will embark on another journey, with plans to hold exhibitions in various Moroccan cities, including Marrakech and Agadir.
When asked about her message to aspiring Moroccan artists, Gueddari shared a heartfelt, encouraging piece of advice. “Never settle for what you already know,” she said. “Embrace versatility, expand your knowledge, and explore different artistic domains. Stay true to yourself, and draw inspiration from other artists.”
Syrian young artist, Lama Zakaria has recently achieved the first world record in the Guinness World Records for the largest display of mandala in the world, raising the name of Syria high and proving once again the ability of Syrian youth to excel in various scientific and artistic fields.
Lama told SANA’s reporter that she spent two years of continuous and diligent effort for reaching this stage, stressing that she worked with precision and patience to achieve the required symmetry in her painting, which achieved the record for the largest painting of mandala in the world.
She added that the mandala contains 4096 mandala circles of various diameters, colors and various decorations by using special dotting tools and acrylic paints on a 6 mm-thick wooden board.
She pointed out that the painting with dimensions 488 x 488 cm contains a large number of circles overlapping with each other and free circles with flowing lines that enhance cohesion among them.
Zakaria noted that in each quarter of the painting forms a part of a major basic circle that is the center of the painting and its eye-attracting heart, which required work carefully on all colors and various decorative units.
Lama Zakaria, a third-year student at the Faculty of Architecture at al-Baath University, has sought to specialize in mandalas, as she worked individually to learn the origins of this art and master its methods, and participated in several art exhibitions.
source/content: sana.sy (headline edited)
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Actress Lama Zakaria – Photo from Lama’s official Instagram page
In her latest exhibiton, “My Silk Road,” the Algerian visual artist Salima Ayadi presents a tribute to her cultural heritage with 19 paintings and 30 scarves inspired by — among other things — Islamic architecture, ceramic and faience patterns, and calligraphy.
The exhibition opened at the National Museum of Antiquities and Islamic Art in Algiers on January 22 and runs until February 13.
Ayadi graduated from the School of Fine Arts of Algiers with a degree in visual communication in 1982. For more than 37 years, she has produced silk-painted works — a technique to which she was introduced by an artist friend while on a trip to Switzerland. She has created artworks and scarves for national institutions such as the Senate and the People’s National Assembly, or for large companies including Sonatrach, Sonelgaz, Air Algeria, to name a few.
“For national institutions, I have worked on the cultural and historical heritage of Algeria, which is particularly rich. My works represent landscapes and monuments of all regions of the Casbah of Algiers, the Tassili n’Ajjer in the South-East, or the Berber patterns of Kabylia,” Ayadi tells Arab News. “These creations have been exhibited and some of them have been offered to foreign partners.” Her work has been shown in numerous group and individual exhibitions both at home and in Libya, Morocco and Iran.
Her first solo exhibition, held in 2017 at the Palace of Culture Moufdi Zakaria in Kouba, was a great success. “This exhibition (was very important), because it allowed me interact and mingle with the public,” she says. Each painting is created over a series of stages, each with its own potential pitfalls. Ayadi says that her selection of colors — reds, blues and greens are particular favorites — is based on the idea behind each painting. Once the selection process is complete, she can get to work — an often-painstaking process.
Behind each piece lies her passionate love of her Algerian heritage and her country’s rich and diverse culture. Currently, besides the “My Silk Road” exhibition, she is focused on producing a book of her work, which she hopes to release in the next year or so.
source/content: arabnews.com
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Salima Ayadi is an Algerian visual artist. (Supplied)
