An Article by C. N. (637 words, 3 min. read)
The Hoopoe’s Tale opened on June 12 at Maya Art Space in Beirut. It showcases Safadi’s artistic transformation. Known for vivid hues that echoed joy and domestic scenes, his later work transitions into subdued palettes: blacks, grays, muted ochres. Each stroke feels deliberate, each line sharp. Figures materialize from the canvas like half-remembered dreams, mysterious silhouettes that float in tense, suspended states. The hoopoe, rendered without chiaroscuro, becomes both protagonist and narrator: silent yet eloquent, solitary yet intimate.
Silence in Color: Style and Symbolism
Born in 1977 in Sweida, Syria, Ghylan Safadi graduated from Damascus University in 2000. His early years were driven by optimism, founding the Kameh Institute in 2008 to nurture children’s creativity through theater and arts. A relocation to Beirut in 2012 marked a turning point: the vibrant, hopeful palette of his early work gave way to stark monochromes as war’s realities seeped into his consciousness. Through graphic lines and haunting compositions, he began “salvaging memories and emotions”, giving form to trauma, displacement, and resilience. His voice, grounded in personal testimony, takes on universal meaning wherever his work appears.
The Hoopoe as Hero, Artist, and Viewer
The hoopoe is not simply a motif, it’s a metaphor. Symbolizing freedom, wisdom, rebirth, and quiet resilience, it expresses the exhibition’s emotional core: solitude balanced with hope, silence that speaks volumes. Safadi casts the hoopoe in triple role:
As the artist in a metaphorical vessel for the untold; as the viewer, inviting introspection; and as the art itself, bridging myth with lived experience.
In its stillness, the hoopoe reflects our own need: for healing, for memory, for deep listening.
“The Arab Don Quixote”: Satire, Despair, Hope
A standout piece, “The Tale of the Arab Don Quixote”, draws on Brecht’s lament: “Unhappy is the land that is in need of heroes.” Here, Safadi presents a quixotic figure in Arab dress, astride a fragile toy-horse. This ironic portrayal—an everyman dreamer riding impossible salvation—pokes at dependency on myths rather than collective action. It’s absurd, funny, and heartbreakingly real: a subtle call for self-determination over savior fantasies.
Narratives of Life
The exhibition unfolds like a fable collection:
Economic hardship and isolation appear as empty rooms echoing in gray tones. Fleeting moments of joy flash as pale gold glimmers in the feathers of the hoopoe. Interpersonal tension is shown as well, through shadowed figures dancing on the brink of connection or collapse.
Through each work, Safadi threads personal memories with collective struggle, mirroring the experiences of Syria, Lebanon, and the wider world. The hoopoe’s presence softens tension, reminding us of beauty amid uncertainty.
Beauty, Silence, Rebirth
Despite the heaviness, the show ends on soft light. Paintings begin to whisper of renewal: strokes of pale aqua, peach, and soft ochre suggest hope beyond trauma. The hoopoe, once shrouded in shadow, now appears ready to soar again.
A Quiet Messenger
Safadi’s work doesn’t shout. It waits. The brush learns to speak in texture rather than volume. Viewers are invited into an intimate space where vulnerability is both shield and sword. In this shared silence, the hoopoe becomes a messenger of our own untold stories: bravery in stillness, memory in flight.
The Silence That Remains
The Hoopoe’s Tale offers an emotional tableau of conflict, endurance, and quiet hope. Through limited color and bold form, Safadi captures the resilience of individuals and communities scarred by war. The hoopoe becomes an emblem: a messenger not of prophecy, but of potential. It asks us to pause, listen, and, above all, believe in renewal.
Ghylan Safadi, featured internationally and holding works in collections from Paris to Tokyo, here distills his global and deeply personal journey into a single, powerful metaphor. In the hoopoe’s silent flight, he gives us the gift of presence and with it, the courage to hope.
