Retrospective, Majd Kurdieh
Majd Kurdieh’s retrospective exhibition, organised by Fann À Porter in collaboration with ZAAT, will be unveiled in Beirut, Lebanon from 6 June to 26 June 2023. Located at the Safir Building on Mneimneh Street in Hamra, the exhibition offers a unique opportunity to delve into Kurdieh’s artistic evolution spanning the last nine years. Following the success of a previous retrospective exhibition in Cairo, Egypt in 2020, this event promises to captivate audiences and provide an immersive experience of Kurdieh’s artistic journey. The opening reception is scheduled for Tuesday, 6 June at 5 pm, welcoming art enthusiasts and visitors to explore the ground floor of the Safir Building and engage with Kurdieh’s mesmerising artwork.
With its whimsical nature, Majd Kurdieh’s retrospective exhibition encapsulates his artistic journey and his dedication to conveying the human experience. The exhibition begins with “The Land Needs Ironing” series, created during a tumultuous decade of war. Through his brush, Kurdieh transforms peaceful yet impactful messages, addressing the fault lines caused by political turmoil while nurturing the remnants of innocence.
“Stealing Sadness” portrays The Very Scary Butterfly Gang on a mission to replace heavy sadness with a feather-light remedy. In “Surrender to Love,” Kurdieh’s characters exude softness, symbolising their surrender to the power of love. “Hold Onto The Flower” presents a striking contrast with its ink-on-paper portrayal, featuring enhanced characters who defy complexities through simple visuals. The 2020 series, “We Continue To Raise The Flag Of The Sun,” introduces The Cactus, symbolising patience, in vibrant watercolor scenes.
In the 2021 collection, “Watermelon Peace,” Kurdieh confronts humanity’s restlessness and turmoil with unwavering love and the discovery of inner peace, expressed through intense colours and light. “One Wound, One Smile,” his 2022 series, explores opposing forces of wounds and smiles, representing complex emotions through characters and elements. Finally, the 2023 series, “The Wing of the Dream,” departs from his previous works, focusing on realistic depictions of birds to explore duality and the transient nature of life.
Throughout his creations, Kurdieh emphasises concepts of home, love, devotion, and sadness. His art offers a glimpse into our realities, blurring the line between fantasy and reality. As viewers delve deeper, they find a portal to hope and unity in a world created by the artist’s brush and words.
About The Artist
Majd Kurdieh is an artist known for his paintings, drawings, and literature, characterised by recurring figures that tell stories with strong morals and positive messages. His childlike art style incorporates storytelling techniques, featuring whimsical characters like the Fasaeen, who always smile despite facing hardships. Through “The Very Scary Butterfly Gang,” Kurdieh explores complex topics with gentle sensitivity, emphasising the protection of human rights. His works, seemingly simple at first glance, reveal a deeper world simplified with a childlike innocence. Kurdieh has exhibited internationally and his art is housed in public and private collections. Born in Aleppo, Syria in 1985, he currently lives and works in Amsheet, Lebanon.
Retrospective, Majd Kurdieh
Location: Ground Floor, Safir Building, Mneimneh Street, Hamra Beirut, Lebanon
Duration: June 6 – June 26, 2023