Within the Lebanese nation protesting, numerous artists have taken their art tools and skills to express their stances the way they do best. These are the voices speaking in colors and drawings, and not just a few of them have made the walls of their cities or towns the canvas of their messages.
In normal times, this category of arts is designated as Cultural Resistance. It is when artists use their various mediums to express their criticism of certain political, economic, social, or other concerning circumstances in their community.
In modern days, it has also encompassed social media as a venue to transfer their artistic messages, and the new medium of graphic design has come to take its place among the traditional ones.
@ivan.debsFor our Lebanese artists these past two-plus weeks, the revolution with its causes, demands, outcome, and visions has been the driving force of their creativity.
They have unleashed their emotions and thoughts through their creativity to raise people’s voices, and theirs. Each in his or her own way and skills.
And we’ve seen the meaningful and the bright, the grandeur and the extraordinary, but also the simple colorful messages sprayed on the walls. Here are some of the most relevant:
#1. Tripoli, the City of Peace
@livelovetripoliTripoli, the city of peace, as here painted, is an artwork emphasizing the peaceful reality of the northern capital of Lebanon, contradicting the idea that some have on this beautiful historic city.
2. You’ve been too long on your political seats
@maroamirosNot a pretty sight, true, but that is the main message of the artist, emphasizing what the political stage with its longtime leaders reflects, and how it looks and feels once we take a step back.
The caption on the wall, which translates into “We were all young,” is just another message of the very same common demand of the Revolution, and which comes here to say: They must let go of their seats and leave.
3. Beirut has spoken
Simple and straight to the point, the graffiti states Beirut has spoken, making the strong statement that the Lebanese capital, representing the vast majority of its people, is standing on its demands.
4. Rise and revolt
This street art with the word Thouri, a verb in the feminine form, is a message of empowerment to the Lebanese woman to “revolt” with all her femininity, braving the attacks on her; here symbolized by the bombs.
We have no confirmation if this street art manifested after the women of the Lebanese Revolution became target of slanders and smears or if the artist meant to indicate by the “bombs” the painful gender-bias laws.
5. The Whatsapp group deal hit them hard
@phat2tgThe Whatsapp tax, which was in reality just the trigger that has unleashed the tsunami, manifested as well artistically in this street wall, with the artist here denouncing the hidden deal he or she imagined between the here-named politicians and the consequences on them.
6. The Lebanese people have taken over
@eliane.feghaliThis literally translates into the ruling is now for the people, depicting a face that resembles that of the Lady Liberty, and a crown made from the people of liberty, aka the protesters.
7. The Revolution resurrected the nation
@radicalgraffitiBeautifully and artistically written in massive size, as massive as this Revolution has been, the used colors carry the main message of the artist -as we understand it. The Revolution is the resurrection of the nation from their soil and ashes up to the shiny sun of hope and light.
8.Vendetta for the stolen money of the people
Justice to the people demanding their “money back”, as we assume from the red caption, which translates into one’s harvest.
9. Wisdom calls for the nation’s freedom
@clara_chidiacThis graffiti is painted by the artist Clara Chidiac on the Ring Bridge, which has become an iconic standpoint of the revolution due to major sit-ins and also attacks at the peaceful protesters.
In fact, the artist, who has been receiving positive feedback on this art posted on Instagram, wrote: “Not done, ejo el za3ran” (the thugs came).
Let’s move into some of the graphics and illustrations of the Revolution:
10. A sweetheart of the revolution
@gaeinkThe video of this young Lebanese man in the army has gone viral and so did his photo that he became the sweetheart icon of the Lebanese Revolution. He did because he was spotted at one of the protests, shocking on his tears, at having to face his own people that he was trained to protect.
11. The Revolution is about to birth a new Lebanon
This is powerfully revealing the unfurling of the revolution, aiming to birth a new Lebanon from the ashes of destructions and corruption…
12. Set yourself free
@eggplant.designExpressed in cartoon art, this artist calls on all his fellow Lebanese to set themselves free from the binding sectarianism and soar high with our one main identity as Lebanese.
13. Lebanese mothers are an inspiration to the revolution
@stephanieghougassianembedded via
A very expressive illustration representing the mothers of the Lebanese Revolution, in various contributing tasks while watching over the children. Brilliant work!
14. The symbol of the revolution
@ramikanso.pngWe assume no one has missed this one, as it has traveled across the oceans to be present in the protests of the diaspora: The protester kicking the system, and also the bravery of the women of the Lebanese revolution.
15. Fashion creativity: My cape is my Lebanese Flag
@fashion5y5What a statement! And a very beautiful one as the art of fashion takes part in the revolution…
16. Beirut never dies
@themadshadA strikingly expressive scene seen by the eyes of the photographer who immortalized it with this shot: A glass window shattered by attacks and a young woman standing bravely and proud right behind it with a statement shirt that says: “Beirut doesn’t die.”
17. Power in Unity
A splendid art stating “Tripoli, the Bride of the Revolution” and which Instagram photo came with the following beautiful message, “Our revolution resurrected us, with our arms we build it, and our sky our blood calls, so let us respond.”
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