“In my opinion, the status of women in society is the most important standard by which one measures how advanced a society is.”
– Fahed Halabi
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The East is generally distinguished by its magical colors, bright sun, its cultural and ethnic diversity, beautiful nature and diverse topography, delicious cuisine and spices. But this magic withers and colors begin to grow pale and slowly transform into gray and then into black when the three taboos of religion, politics and sex are introduced. It is a society that is governed by the Kingdom of Heaven, expressed through masculine thought and obsolete traditions derived from religion and tribal and familial particularisms. Colors dissipate when we think of women’s rights, especially sexual rights, because such thoughts are considered forbidden and taboos and the mere reference to such rights is criminalized.
The beginnings of this project – exhibit – date back to the early 2000’s. Through it I try to express first, my personal experience – as someone who grew in a religious family – and second, the general reality Arab and Eastern women live in, woman’s relationship to herself and her body, and to man at the same time. My sense of solidarity with my mother and sister and defending women’s rights is among my primary motivations to start and continue this project, while being fully aware of my position as an Eastern man who grew up in the East.
Expressional painting is the dominant style which defines these paintings, but it transforms to abstract painting in some instances. As for the subject matter of the paintings, it avoids human form and focuses on subjects of nature.
Eastern Monochrome, is a unique experience that I live and through which I test my self, and it is subject to constant continuity and development.