You have spoken of the sacrifices that you had to
In the early seventies, my exhibitions in New York
make to become an artist. What was the nature of
received a lot of attention from art critics, dealers and
these sacrifices, and why did you believe they were
museum directors and curators. My studio provided a
worth making?
large space for exhibition and performances bringing
many artists, musicians, poets, and peace activists.
Pursuing one’s vision in art, whether literary or
But the lack of financial support made it impossible to
visual, is a commitment with total devotion and
maintain it. Eventually, it was seized and most of its
dedication of body, mind and resources. It is a deep
contents lost or destroyed. But I went on with life and
journey into a universe filled with intricate,
continued carrying on my work.
fascinating and mysterious regions. It is also a tough
journey with many great challenges and difficulties,
You resumed your artistic work in 1975, at the
requiring a continuous fight and struggle against
outbreak of the Civil War in Lebanon. How did
many obstacles and barriers obscuring the works’
this event lead you to return to painting?
compelling view of the world.
The staggering loss of the studio was followed a year
You began to paint and display your work in New
later by the terrible shock of the outbreak of the
York, until your studio was shut down in 1974
Lebanese Civil War. I responded with a fury of
because of financial problems. 700 of your works
paintings transmitting images that delved deeply into
were placed in storage, then lost or destroyed.
the reality and consequences of war. The earlier work
What effect did this loss have on you?
on Vietnam found common ground with those of