The Shortlist of the Alfred Fried Photography Award 2015
Art Against War
Hundreds of thousands of Syrians are refugees in Beirut (Lebanon), among them a small community of young artists. In wartime there is no chance to make art, just looking to survive. ART RESIDENCE ALEY is a place for hope and creativity, an amazing and positive project launched by the Syrian civil engineer Raghad Mardini, who came to Lebanon in 2008, before the Syrian war was started. This residence, built on the ruins of an old stable for horses destroyed in the Lebanon war, hosts two Syrian artists every month, who have escaped from the war in their country and gone to Lebanon. Most of them cannot return to Syria for the risk of being recruited for the army and forced to fight.
For one month they can stay at the ART RESIDENCE ALEY for free. Raghad Mardini supports this initiative by herself. She provides accommodation there, food, enough money to cover all their expenses and especially all the materials to make art during their time there. This is a place to rest and create in peace, to feel safe and scape the pressures of war, a quiet place, 15 km away from chaotic and noisy Beirut and 150 km from Damascus, surrounded by trees, a comfortable, friendly and quiet atmosphere. Without too much to worry about, the mind and spirit is focused on creating art, as well as giving a testimony of their vision and feelings about the war. Once they leave the residence, they must donate a work to the residence. Since the opening at the beginning of 2012, almost 30 artists have stayed here. 30 points of view about the war represented through paintings, sculptures and performances. 30 ways to show their suffering and worries. 30 voices against the war through art. Art Residence Aley means a chance to make art instead of war, a chance to change the destiny, to bequeath a cultural legacy that shows the suffering of the Syrian people. A chance to believe that art can survive even in hard times of war. For one month these artists feel as they are: as artists.
Hundreds of thousands of Syrians are refugees in Beirut (Lebanon), among them a small community of young artists. In wartime there is no chance to make art, just looking to survive. ART RESIDENCE ALEY is a place for hope and creativity, an amazing and positive project launched by the Syrian civil engineer Raghad Mardini, who came to Lebanon in 2008, before the Syrian war was started. This residence, built on the ruins of an old stable for horses destroyed in the Lebanon war, hosts two Syrian artists every month, who have escaped from the war in their country and gone to Lebanon. Most of them cannot return to Syria for the risk of being recruited for the army and forced to fight.
For one month they can stay at the ART RESIDENCE ALEY for free. Raghad Mardini supports this initiative by herself. She provides accommodation there, food, enough money to cover all their expenses and especially all the materials to make art during their time there. This is a place to rest and create in peace, to feel safe and scape the pressures of war, a quiet place, 15 km away from chaotic and noisy Beirut and 150 km from Damascus, surrounded by trees, a comfortable, friendly and quiet atmosphere. Without too much to worry about, the mind and spirit is focused on creating art, as well as giving a testimony of their vision and feelings about the war. Once they leave the residence, they must donate a work to the residence. Since the opening at the beginning of 2012, almost 30 artists have stayed here. 30 points of view about the war represented through paintings, sculptures and performances. 30 ways to show their suffering and worries. 30 voices against the war through art. Art Residence Aley means a chance to make art instead of war, a chance to change the destiny, to bequeath a cultural legacy that shows the suffering of the Syrian people. A chance to believe that art can survive even in hard times of war. For one month these artists feel as they are: as artists.