Q and A with Hassan-Behrouz Lavassany (693 words 4 min. read )
[Honoring the artists responses which were submitted in French we shall include the original responses, in French, below the translated responses]
1. How did you first start to create your beautiful intricate and detailed works?
At 14, I was a bit curious to try the calligraphy pens my parents used when they were in school. I started drawing letters, and from there, I found myself drawing rather than writing.
“A 14 ans, j’étais un peu curieux d’essayer les plumes de calligraphie que mes parents utilisaient quand ils étaient à l’école. J’ai commencé à dessiner des lettres et à partir de là, je me suis retrouvé en train de dessiner plutôt que d’écrire.”
2. Can you elaborate for us on your experience in the theatre or in television?
It was much later that I became interested in acting. I passed the entrance exam to the Lebanese University, and then started a long journey. After several plays as an actor, I realized that I didn’t like the stage nor the audience. What I found interesting was the direction of artists and the behind-the-scenes work of theater.
”C’est beaucoup plus tard, que je me suis intéressé à l’actorat. J’ai réussi le concours d’entrée à l’Université Libanaise, et ce fut un long voyage. Après plusieurs pièces de théâtre en tant qu’acteur, j’ai réalisé que je n’aimais pas la scène ni le public. C’est plutôt le jeu et « la cuisine » du théâtre que je trouvais intéressants.”
3. We know you have a mixed ethnic background and you have traveled the world. How did all of this shape who you are today and how did you end up in Beirut, Lebanon?
I was born in Beirut, so it’s my hometown. My father was a Persian diplomat and my mother is Lebanese. This mix, the travels, and the different cultures opened up new horizons for me and freed me from any fixed points of reference. I became my own point of reference, and the whole world became my homeland. By embracing Catholicism later on, I came to understand that the human being, in all its forms, is a divine unity.
“Je suis né à Beyrouth, c’est donc ma ville natale. Mon père était diplomate perse et ma mère libanaise. Ce mélange, ces voyages et la diversité des cultures m’ont ouvert des horizons et m’ont libéré de tout repère. Je suis devenu mon propre repère, et le monde entier est devenu mon pays. En embrassant plus tard le catholicisme, j’ai compris que l’être humain, sous toutes ses formes, est une unité divine.”
4. We have not seen an exhibition for you lately. Any new projects coming up?
It’s true that I’m a bit lazy when it comes to exhibitions. In 2019, I exhibited in Seattle and San Francisco. Back in Lebanon, I was supposed to prepare a new collection for an exhibition in Beirut. But the events that followed (the revolution, COVID, the Beirut port explosion…) led me to keep drawing and setting things aside. The current artistic language in the country is not at the level the public deserves. That’s why I keep on hesitating about exhibiting.
“Il est vrai que je suis un peu paresseux en ce qui concerne les expositions. En 2019, j’ai exposé à Seattle et à San Francisco. De retour au Liban, je devais préparer une nouvelle collection pour une exposition à Beyrouth. Mais les événements qui ont suivi — la révolution, le Covid, la catastrophe du port… — m’ont poussé à me contenter de dessiner et à tout mettre de côté. Le langage artistique actuel dans le pays n’est pas à la hauteur de ce que le public mérite. C’est pourquoi j’hésite encore à me relancer.”
5. How did religion influence your art or your artistic decisions, and do you see a connection between the Devine and art in general?
Since the moment I received the grace of the Holy Spirit, my vision has completely turned toward the sublime. Inspiration brushes against the infinite.
“Depuis le moment où j’ai reçu la grâce du Saint Esprit, ma vision s’est complètement détournée vers le sublime. L’inspiration frôle l’infini.”
