I discovered Sarah’s work through the Hague Peace Project page with their project “TheHaguexBeirut”, which aims at supporting the work of different Lebanese artists and to raise awareness around the current situation in Lebanon by displaying their work.
I have first encountered her work through the series “4th of August”, a series focusing on the consequences of the explosion which happened in Beirut’s harbour. I directly noticed her work by its vibrant colors and its detailed lining. Looking at it felt like being transported to another universe, one of intense colors, perspectives and well chosen details.
Recommending: Sarah Ibrahim
written by Lou Touyarou
Intrigued by her work but also by the current situation in Lebanon and what it is like to live there, I got in contact with her and managed to ask her a few questions. Alongside her answers, you can find a small selection of Lebanese music that you can listen to while going through the article, made by Sarah herself!
Our call started on a small introduction “My name is Sarah, I am Lebanese and I am 25. I am an architect, I graduated two years ago and now I work in an interior architect office. I have been doing urban sketches since I was in college, for 3 or 4 years. I actually discovered this style because of my university work. Because I work in architecture, it gave me a lot of insight about the style and the use of material, and that’s how I started. I’ve been into arts since I was a kid but not into urban sketches as I am now.”
Mainly creating urban sketches, her paintings mainly take place in the streets or urban environments of Saida, her hometown, or in Beirut. A bit further in our conversation, we got to discuss the streets as a source of inspiration.
“I’ve gotten attached to the streets because as an architect we get taught that you need to address the context and link the surrounding to your personal experience and to the project very often. That is why when you see most of the sketches I do, they are sketches of the context, but they are my context. That is why sometimes they are a bit fictional. It is the way I feel towards the place. And for Beirut as a city, I think it is because Beirut is a city with a lot of culture in Lebanon. Not just historical culture, but very modern, also “our age culture”, so it is easy to adapt to it more. My city is actually also pretty cool, it is slightly more towards the countryside.”
Mainly creating urban sketches, her paintings mainly take place in the streets or urban environments of Saida, her hometown, or in Beirut. A bit further in our conversation, we got to discuss the streets as a source of inspiration.
“I’ve gotten attached to the streets because as an architect we get taught that you need to address the context and link the surrounding to your personal experience and to the project very often. That is why when you see most of the sketches I do, they are sketches of the context, but they are my context. That is why sometimes they are a bit fictional. It is the way I feel towards the place. And for Beirut as a city, I think it is because Beirut is a city with a lot of culture in Lebanon. Not just historical culture, but very modern, also “our age culture”, so it is easy to adapt to it more. My city is actually also pretty cool, it is slightly more towards the countryside.”
However the explosion of the 4th of August deeply affected the country on many different levels, whether it is through architecture or economy. Coupled with a rising revolution, the explosion has had a long term impact on the country and its people. Those same streets that Sarah represents in her sketches were completely changed.
“ You probably heard how strong it was. We heard it only being an hour away, we heard the explosion. It was pretty weird. And when it happened, a couple of days after we all went down with my friends to help cleaning because everyone was helping. You have to help, you cannot do anything. When I got to Beirut, I got to experience what happened. So all the streets that I used to draw, everything was dark, everything was just different. So yes it had a tremendous change on how I see Beirut and how I see the city I used to work in because my office was in Beirut. ”
“ You probably heard how strong it was. We heard it only being an hour away, we heard the explosion. It was pretty weird. And when it happened, a couple of days after we all went down with my friends to help cleaning because everyone was helping. You have to help, you cannot do anything. When I got to Beirut, I got to experience what happened. So all the streets that I used to draw, everything was dark, everything was just different. So yes it had a tremendous change on how I see Beirut and how I see the city I used to work in because my office was in Beirut. ”
Although a big part of the mobilization takes place in the streets, it also happens in other ways, through art for example.
“I think it is the duty of every artist of the country. My work was never political or anything, but I had to address something that affected everyone. Even by the time I can offer to express what I feel.”
“I think it is the duty of every artist of the country. My work was never political or anything, but I had to address something that affected everyone. Even by the time I can offer to express what I feel.”
Although the western medias have soon stopped mentioning the situation in Lebanon, giving the impression to many of us that the country has sort of “went back to normal”, that’s far from being the case.
“I have heard that there has been a blackout towards the revolution in the international sphere. I do not know how there can be a blackout, the revolution never stopped even until today. But because there is an economic crisis, people want to revolt, but they also want to live. You cannot revolt, and then expect that you will have a meal, because you would need to work. So there is this dilemma because we have the right to ask for our rights, but we do not have the energy or the time because we have to live, which is ironic. I think the revolution will never end in anyone's heart until there is a change, which will not happen before a very long time unfortunately, but if there is no change we cannot live here. Especially our generation that wants to do everything in this country but that cannot. It is very unfortunate.”
“I have heard that there has been a blackout towards the revolution in the international sphere. I do not know how there can be a blackout, the revolution never stopped even until today. But because there is an economic crisis, people want to revolt, but they also want to live. You cannot revolt, and then expect that you will have a meal, because you would need to work. So there is this dilemma because we have the right to ask for our rights, but we do not have the energy or the time because we have to live, which is ironic. I think the revolution will never end in anyone's heart until there is a change, which will not happen before a very long time unfortunately, but if there is no change we cannot live here. Especially our generation that wants to do everything in this country but that cannot. It is very unfortunate.”
When documenting myself on the situation in Lebanon especially after the explosion, I have read that the younger generations have been playing an important role in the mobilization, pushed through by a feeling of hope and willingness, but also anger and a desire to hold the responsibles accountable; when asking Sarah about it she told me it was something she witnessed as well.
“When I went down to help in the streets, everyone, literally everyone who was there was my age, in their 20s or 30s, that were supposed to be studying or doing their jobs. But they were down in the streets cleaning because there is nowhere else to go. I remember I saw a post of this taxi driver, and at that moment every taxi driver was trying to help, and he was taking everyone for free, so that he could help them go where they needed to. There was this taxi driver who started crying when he was talking to a passenger and he told him “You’re supposed to be in school, why are you cleaning the streets?”. So every generation was very much affected, especially our generation. If I can talk personally, I would say yes I had hope to do a lot of things after I graduated, it only went well for a couple of months and then the revolution and the explosion happened. It went downhill very fast and you realize you cannot keep up. There is anger, because we are very hopeful and very ambitious and it is very sad to see that the resources are not helping you. It is not your fault.”
“When I went down to help in the streets, everyone, literally everyone who was there was my age, in their 20s or 30s, that were supposed to be studying or doing their jobs. But they were down in the streets cleaning because there is nowhere else to go. I remember I saw a post of this taxi driver, and at that moment every taxi driver was trying to help, and he was taking everyone for free, so that he could help them go where they needed to. There was this taxi driver who started crying when he was talking to a passenger and he told him “You’re supposed to be in school, why are you cleaning the streets?”. So every generation was very much affected, especially our generation. If I can talk personally, I would say yes I had hope to do a lot of things after I graduated, it only went well for a couple of months and then the revolution and the explosion happened. It went downhill very fast and you realize you cannot keep up. There is anger, because we are very hopeful and very ambitious and it is very sad to see that the resources are not helping you. It is not your fault.”
Thanks again to Sarah for her time and go check out her work!