The Royal College of Art to Open an Exhibition of Lebanese Art

Written by Clive Robertson Sunday, 30 October 2011 23:22

London.- The Royal College of Art is pleased to host “Subtitled: with narratives from Lebanon” starting  November 2nd. Using five themes to interpret Lebanon’s rich, complex history, artists living both in and outside of Lebanon explore the socio-political realities that have influenced and shaped their art. The exhibition has been organised by the Association for the Promotion and Exhibition of the Arts in Lebanon (APEAL). The exhibition includes paintings, sculptures, mixed-media installations, photographs, digital animations, films and sculptures by over 30 Lebanese artists such as Ayman Baalbaki whose iconic representations provoke an edgy insight into his world and this approach contrasted by Huguette Caland, now in her eighties, who uses mixed media in abstract to evoke the cultural heritage of her country, drawn from childhood memories. This show comes at a time of progressive change across Lebanon, with the older generation sharing their experiences with the new and a government and people who want to leave the battlefields behind and embrace democracy.

The personal experiences of the historical conflict of civil war (1975-1990) and the invasions of 2005-06 are memories and still a poignant reference. Juliana Khalaf, Curator said, “The idea behind "Subtitled: with narratives from Lebanon" was to gather Lebanese artists from diverse backgrounds and ages, and present distinctive memories and interpretations of a place, a time and their experience of a country, a home, a rich cultural history and an emerging sense of identity.” Rita Nammour, President of the Foundation said “APEAL, is dedicated to showcasing and encouraging Lebanese artists by projecting their artwork beyond conventional borders and onto a larger screen”. APEAL's main objective, is to support education and facilitate access to culture, by granting scholarships to promising talents. This is achieved through exhibitions like this, where education, knowledge and cultural enable a better understanding of our heritage and validate our contribution to the contemporary art scene. Art and culture represent the expression of our nation's soul and attest to the richness of its diversity”.


The Royal College of Art (the RCA) is the world’s only wholly postgraduate university of art and design, offering the degrees of Master of Arts (M.A.), Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.). It has had university status since 1967. The RCA is based in the South Kensington and Battersea areas of Central London. The RCA has an international reputation for its teaching in the fields of architecture, automotive design, photography, industrial design, communication design, interaction design, textiles, fashion, ceramics and silversmithing. An M.A. in design history is offered in collaboration with the Victoria and Albert Museum, while an M.A. in Innovation Design Engineering is offered jointly with Imperial College London. In April 2011, Modern Painters (magazine) surveyed art world professionals to create a list of the top 10 UK art schools which ranked the Royal College of Art at the top of the list. The Royal College of Art played a major role in the birth of the modern school of British sculpture in the 1920s and in the development of Pop Art in the 1960s. The RCA was founded in 1837, and was known as the Government School of Design. In 1853, it became the National Art Training School with the Female School of Art in separate buildings; and, in 1896, it received the name Royal College of Art. During the 19th century, it was often referred to as the South Kensington Schools. See Richard Burchett, an early Headmaster, for more details on this period. After 130 years in operation, the Royal College of Art was granted its Royal Charter in 1967, which gave it the status of an independent university with the power to grant its own degrees. Its Royal Charter specifies that the objects of the College are "to advance learning, knowledge and professional competence particularly in the field of fine arts, in the principles and practice of art and design in their relation to industrial and commercial processes and social developments and other subjects relating thereto through teaching, research and collaboration with industry and commerce". Notable alumni include Peter Blake, Quentin Blake, Jake and Dinos Chapman, Barbara Hepworth, David Hockney, Henry Moore, Chris Ofili, Bridget Riley and film directors Ridley and Tony Scott amongst others. Visit the college's website at ... http://www.rca.ac.uk

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