Artist Statement of Background

Artist Statement
My background and upbringing has had an indelible influence on my work and perspective as an artist. I was born in Paris in 1995 and raised in Beirut, Lebanon. This kaleidoscopic childhood made me sensitive to the arts as I now work as a graphic designer and a street life photographer on the side. ? More importantly, I grew up in a family of artists: I was fortunate enough to always be exposed to adults that were constantly looking for deeper meanings and were not afraid to analyze, dig deeper and constantly create. This influence impacted my path, my approach, and my perspective as an artist. I learned that there is no limit to one’s viewpoint and imagination. My upbringing influenced my aesthetics in photography, because I wanted to embrace photographing things that seemed basic, ordinary and which are largely taken for granted. So much of art revolves around interpretation and what the human eye and mind can consume—such as a corner of a building or a simple local shop sign in the south of Lebanon. When I’m shooting, I constantly ask myself what the image could mean, and I am constantly eager to adjust something that might not appear meaningful into a greater message—such as one that is political, architectural or emotional at its core.
Growing up in Lebanon was such a singular experience; it gave me a feeling of sheer invincibility to my work. Lebanon is a tiny third world country, one that went through over 40 years of war, but always managed to sustain and survive. It was a precarious, uncertain childhood, and at many times, I didn’t feel free, and was unable to walk in the streets of my own city because there was always the possibility that a particular place might be bombed. We were hyper aware of the delicate balance of life and death that were always perched upon. This made us recognize how precious human life is and to treasure each moment, along with each moment of safety or happiness. Back in 1976, during the civil war my mother wasn’t allowed to visit her grandmother or the rest of her family because of the shootings that were constantly happening in the neighborhood. Politics and corruption took our freedom and rights, but forced me to realize that I am in control of my imagination. I have the power to go as far as it can take me when it comes to my art, and for that reason I never force myself to exist within limits. I am extremely sensitive and I find beauty in so many different things: objects, buildings, humans, anything at all, really. However, I try to embrace spontaneity as much as possible, particularly when it comes to photography. I am very resistant to staging photographs, because of the inherent beauty I see in organic moments, as they are so fleeting. Hence, I always try to give my photographs a sense of meaning in both time and space.
I shoot only on film, rather than digital, because of its inherent authenticity. It’s raw, technical and requires patience. Film connects me better with my favorite photographers, such a Henri Cartier Bresson. I like the vintage quality that shooting on film gives my work, and I like the fact that the fleeting quality of film reflects the fleeting quality of the moments I capture. These photographs cannot be easily copied or duplicated and adjusting them in post-production is difficult. On film, the inherent qualities of the image are captured, giving my work a higher level of authenticity.