A correspondance to the Artpulse by a prominent Lebanese Artist (815 words, 4 min. read)
What a fantastic article. It really put into words so much of what I have been feeling about the art world.
To me, art is first and foremost a human feeling. It comes from our humanity, our emotions, our experiences, and our vulnerability. So I find it strange that the professional side of the art world can sometimes feel so disconnected from the very humanity that creates the art.
Just like any professional or personal relationship, there has to be kindness, decency, respect, gratitude, and emotional intelligence. If anything, I feel these qualities should exist even more deeply in the art world.
What you wrote about loyalty and relationships really stayed with me. Of course artists grow, ambitions evolve, and new opportunities appear. No artist belongs to a gallery or a curator.
But growth should not mean forgetting the people who first saw something in you, believed in you, invested their time and energy in you, and helped bring your work into the light.
For me, it is like friendship. You may have a close friend who has loved you, supported you, and rooted for you for years. Then, as life moves forward, you meet someone new who also appreciates you, supports you, and brings something wonderful into your life.
You would not suddenly discard the dirst friendship because a new one appeared. A new relationship should add to your life, not erase the people who were already part of it.
The same decency should exist in professional relationships. things may naturally change, but there should still be honsety, communication, gratitude and respect for what was built together. Loyalty does not mean standing still, and growth does not have to mean abandonment. There is space for both.
The part about gossip also made me think. Of course, words can affect reputations and opportunities, especially in such a small art community. But should what people say really become a permanent stamp on someone?
An opinion can be repeated so many times that people begin treating it as fact, but repetition does not necessarily make something true.
I know there is a thin line between believing in yourself and becoming delusional. We all need self awareness, honest feedback, discipline, and the willingness to grow. But I also believe that what is truly yours cannot be taken away from you, and that your work will eventually speak for itself.
Not everyone will fall in love with your work, and they are not supposed to. But there will be people who see it, feel it, connect with it, and genuinely fall in love with it. For me, those are the people an artist creates for.
Unless the main goal is money, recognition, or celebrity, which is an entirely different motivation, and obviously differs from on artist to another.
The world is so big and there is room for everyone. I wish people rooted for each other more and understood that someone else’s success does not diminish their own. ANother artist receiving attention does not mean there is less possibility for you.
And what you wrote about Beirut is so true. It is such a small city, with so many openings often happening on the same evening, that seeing art becomes a race from one place to another. I have to go here, then I have to go there.
We are no longer really taking in the art, allowing ourselves to fell it, or genuinely enjoying and supporting one another.
maybe this is not only Beirut. Maybe the professional art world itself has become too consumed by comparison, competition, visibility, and who is doing what. It can make us forget why art exists in the first place. Art is meant to move us, connect us, and remind us of our humanity.
Honestly, it makes me want to disappear into my studio, drown in my paintings, keep creating from a truthful place, and simply see where the world takes me.
Everything I am saying is simply how I personally feel about these things, but this article touched on so many important truths. Thank you so much for sharing it.
NB: When the artist was asked if they would agree to publicly disclose their message to the Artpulse, their response was: “Yes, please feel free to share what I wrote. You don’t necessarily have to use my name, You can simply refer to me as a Lebanese artist, or present it in whichever way feels right for your platform. I would be more than happy for you to share it. Thank you again for creating a platform that encourages such meaningful conversations about art.”
The entire Artpulse Team thanks you dear artist for your trust, for your message, and for your support of what we do and for respecting the integrity of our platform and its principles.
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