Mansour Al-Habr Al-Jamil’s anxiety | day

A long story, and a Beiruti scene fenced in with the repercussions of anxiety, and this companion rarely leaves our sighs of surrender! We are standing in one of the corners of the Art On 56th space located on Youssef Hayek Street – Gemmayzeh… A quick and in-depth chat with an artist whose colors are torn and scattered… Why not?! Rather, they are stacked harmoniously, according to Dr. Abdou Boyz in his speech in the pamphlet, which sheds light on the artist’s statement.

Its colors simulate the tension experienced by the Lebanese, while the emptiness flows with the arrogance of the lover in the direction of his grandiose reality characterized by pomp.

The elegant and minimalist hums of the gallery visitors provide the meeting with some warmth and a sense of security that is needed today more than ever.

the beginning? “It has absolutely nothing to do with any rational perception of the work,” according to what artist Mansour El-Habr says regarding his recent solo exhibition, “Negative Beauty.”

The works in the exhibition are simply a natural extension of everything that happens to us in a country caught in the midst of a thunderstorm, like an irrational poem.

The works may be the story of “the collision between me and daily events; between me and my existence and everything that happens! These elements combined create tension within me.”

Perhaps for this reason he called the paintings some “loud” titles that might come in the form of: “Danger”, “Fire”, “Empty”, “Negative Pleasure”, “Emotionless”.

He had to name the exhibition “Beau Negatif”, because the works do not fall into the category of abstraction. And it certainly does not express or pretend to express the feelings of Al-Habr and the contents of his imagination.

“These businesses are uncomfortable” in terms of their message.

Within the framework of the canvas, conflicts and more than one story.

And works do not tire themselves by indulging in symbols, and do not need forms to express their madness, which is in fact the true reflection of the madness of a country drowning in the irony of fate and all that this poetic sentence can reflect, which is not ashamed of its “cliché” framework.

Colors may act as shapes.

As if the form is space, texture, or collage.

Conflict (internal and external) shamelessly announces its presence.

It is the natural extension of a country that does not wait for anyone. He was no longer waiting for anything.

“The works are tense. They are done (with a strong fire)”, and the single canvas is composed of more than one artistic medium.

The side conversations of the visitors in the space, which celebrates 10 years of struggle through art, are self-evident, trying to jump over this deadly void (inside and outside the body!).

Mansour Al-Habr sees in art the surest remedy for these fluctuations that rain down on us “wholesale”.

When the artist immerses himself in his work, we can be sure that he is, in fact, immersed in the recesses of the soul.

If art did not rest on treatment, we would not have claimed that it saves and saves.

“But art saves and saves. It helps the artist and the art lover at the same time.”

Professional Mansour El-Habr is a metaphor for a small room “above the house”.

He sits in it and translates conflicts, anxiety and tension into noisy celebrations.

Naturally, he does not sit in it for long hours, because he has to divide his time between education and the pivotal life matters that may come in the form of: “I want my children to go to school.”

He visits the room – the professional between responsibilities, “sometime in the morning, and a little at night”.

It took regarding a year and a half to work on the exhibition.

Mansour El-Habr takes his time to narrate this oscillation between reality and the surrealism that we live as destiny.

Art is a “projet growth” for the artist.

Sometimes 4 or 5 days may pass without fierce confrontations with the canvas in the small studio located “above the house”.

And when he’s not drawing, he’s reading.

Sometimes, “I can’t do anything.”

Sitting in a café with artist friends, or “diving into meditation.”

He needs many activities before he gets back on the board.

He doesn’t like ajkah. This is why he reads so much. He likes readings regarding art.

One might assume that his research on art is extensive.

“From time to time,” he writes. He resorts to art criticism. Perhaps to understand or to dive deeply into worlds that do not resemble his own.

Or maybe you like him too much.

This situation we are living in frightens him, for sure.

He urges him to translate the pain stuck in the recesses of his soul. Dozens of colored “blots” on the canvas.

And the spots are uncomfortable.

And this irrational situation we live in is a confused poem, “It Makes Me Worry”.

Mansour Al-Habr is silent for a while before commenting calmly, “My work is my personality.”