The “Jeux de la Francophonie” is an event that is held every four years where participants that are from French-speaking nations challenge each other in art and sports competitions. Lebanon has been an active member in this event ever since it got launched in 1989. This year, the “Jeux de la Francophonie” was held in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Many Lebanese people took part in this event. Also, they have shown an active participation in various categories, which are: – Creative activities: digital creation. – Culture: singing, storytelling, hip-hop, ball juggling, literature, marionette, painting, photography, and sculpture. – Sports: athletics, basketball, cycling, football, handisport, judo, free wrestling, and table tennis. You can find the names of the Lebanese participants
. Yazan Halwani, a renowned Lebanese street artist, took part in this event. The famous street artist who is known for his graffiti has won a gold medal in the painting category. Yazan was nice enough to share some pictures with us. The below canvas is one of the two pieces on which the medal was awarded: If you’re not familiar with Halwani, you certainly have seen his artworks in Beirut. He is mostly known for creating the technique to paint images using Arabic calligraphy. Apart from honoring icons and legends through his artwork, he also paints words and quotes. Check out some of his most famous works!
#1 Fairouz
#2 Sabah
#3 Mahmoud Darwish
#4 Gibran Khalil Gibran
#5 “Beirut”
#6 Musical calligraphy
#7 The Flower Salesman
The boy in the picture is Fares, a Syrian kid who used to sell flowers in Hamra Street. Although Halwani did not know him very well, Fares was dear to him. Unfortunately, the little boy died in an airstrike when he went back to Syria. In order to pay tribute to Fares, Halwani painted his portrait on a building in Germany. Through this mural, which caught a lot of attention in Germany, the Lebanese street artist wants to spread the positive vibes of the late flower salesman. “The Difficulty of the Inevitability of Leaving Things Behind”: Canvas of Asmahan exhibited during the Beirut Art Fair 2013: “The Arabic Spring, or The Girl and The Calligraphy Flower” in Djerba – Tunisia: Yazan seen working on a mural: Eternal Sabah in Hamra 2015:
Special thanks to Yazan for letting us share his pictures and work!
