ALL THE WAY FROM NEW YORK CITY,
ARTIST KELLY HADDAD EXHIBITS HER FIRST SOLO SHOW “FINDING CALM IN CHAOS” IN THE MOTHERLAND, LEBANON HER MULTIMEDIA ART IS INSPIRED BY THE WORLD AROUND US, BUT MORE SO BY THE WORLD INSIDE OUR MINDS
Beirut/ New York, August 2023: “Finding Calm In Chaos” by Kelly Haddad will be showcased at Gemayzeh’s yet to be discovered, L’atelier by Maher Attar. The Lebanese heritage 1900’s residential building, is contemporary, traditional, and located amidst Beirut’s chaos.
Pushing through a black iron cast gate, wandering up a staircase to the first floor, Haddad’s solo show consists of 15 artworks: acrylic on canvases and framed illustrations. Visitors will experience a glimpse of Haddad’s mind over a period of seven years.
The decision to have her first solo show in Lebanon was motivated by her cravings for her culture, her love for her late grandparents’ mountain home, the instability of living in Lebanon and the desire to give back to a struggling community, that she can now call home.
Haddad reflects “I took a long digital detox, cocooned in my late grandparents’ mountain home, and created, created, created…Although they aren’t around, my Teta’s 68-year-old jasmine tree has been a daily reminder of rebirth. When the house is closed, it dies, and when one of us in the family comes back, it blooms. I get goosebumps thinking about it every time.”
For this series of work, Haddad spent the last two years speaking with the Lebanese people from all walks of life. Inspired by the curiosity of what makes people get up in the morning, she questioned “What makes you see the glass half full and not empty?”
“I discovered that the notion of a glass being half full or half empty is controversial in itself—what if it’s filled or empty in ways outside of those bounds?” Haddad challenges.
Kelly’s research and creative process led her to the concept of water in correlation to her character art and being in Lebanon.
Haddad states “Water, in its purest form is nourishing and in its most destructive form can be drowning.”
This made Haddad think about the destruction that has engulfed Lebanon over the years, but the simultaneous will of people to never give up. For people to keep filling their own glasses with the help of loved ones, self-motivation, and the diaspora, means that the inherent DNA of the Lebanese in unlike no other.
Born and raised in New York City to Lebanese parents, Kelly is considered diaspora herself, who has always supported Lebanon through her art and charity work. Kelly grew up as an American Arab trying to navigate her identity as such. Not American enough in New York, but not Lebanese enough in Lebanon. Learning Arabic, meeting Lebanese on the ground, and spending months at a time in Lebanon during challenging times provoked Haddad to bring her signature abstract and anonymous character to Lebanon.
Haddad’s character is “inspired by the world around us but more so by the world inside our minds”, narrating mental health, wellness, and mindfulness in current times. The character symbolizes coexistence between a state of chaos and calm. Although paradoxical, the duality of states is present more than ever in all human beings today.
Haddad explains “Through my character, I reflect on the introspection of our emotions and behaviors in reaction to everyday life, current events, cultural nuances, and the human experience and mind. She is me and she is you.”
Highlight artworks include You Fill Me Up, Mama’s Stories, Invert(ed) and an untitled community piece to be donated to a select organization that mirrors Haddad’s vision—to be announced after the official public opening on Friday July 28th, 2023 from 11 – 5pm.
Haddad says “Showcasing an interactive community piece, allows us all to be a part of the discourse I am putting forth on looking inwards. Art may not solve all our problems, but I’m a firm believer that art can help, open conversations and be a catalyst for healing through our own traumas.”
Haddad’s character is an extension of herself, her story, and her vision for healing.
The public official opening will be Friday July 28, 2023 from 11 – 5 pm and the show will run through to Thursday August 10, 2023 from 6 – 9 pm (closing show). Visiting hours will be on Tuesday August 1, 8, Wednesday 2, 9, Thursday 3, 10, from 2 – 6 pm.
The “Finding Calm In Chaos” Solo Show by Kelly Haddad will feature two talks over the duration of the show which will be post official public opening- to be announced by Monday July 31, 2023. Topics will include mental health, succeeding under pressure against adversity and chaos, deciding to stay in Lebanon, and the future of mental health in the education system. Speakers include Forbes Top 10 Women in Tech MENA 2020Entrepreneur Priscilla Elora Sharuk.
Haddad has a global mission to get her character placed in homes, and in interactive private and public spaces like waiting rooms, healing centers, universities, co-working spaces and more to uplift those struggling, to encourage self-healing and to open more discourses on mental health, wellness, and mindfulness.
Maher Attar, Owner of Art District and now L’atelier by Maher Attar comments “I am thrilled to be hosting international talent with purpose driven work in my new multi-functional creative space.”
For more information on “Finding Calm In Chaos” by Kelly Haddad, follow @kelly_haddad and @bymaherattar on Instagram.
Instagram @miragoesinsta
“Finding Calm In Chaos” by Kelly Haddad
The show will run through to Thursday August 10, 2023 from 6 – 9pm (closing show).
Show Visiting Hours:
Tuesday August 1, 8
Wednesday 2, 9
Thursday 3, 10
from 2 – 6 pm
Closing Show:
Thursday, August 10, 2023
6 – 9pm
Location:
L’atelier by Maher Attar: Art Hub, Studio & Gallery of Art District. 395 Gourard Street, 1st Floor, Gemayzeh, Beirut. Google location: https://goo.gl/maps/aT7rM1FXtojrr5F4A
About “Finding Calm In Chaos” Talks
Topics: Mental health, succeeding under pressure against adversity and chaos, deciding to stay in Lebanon, and the future of mental health in the education system.
Speakers: Forbes Top 10 Women in Tech MENA 2020 Entrepreneur Priscilla Elora Sharuk and more to be announced.
About the Artist
Kelly Haddad is a New York based multidisciplinary artist. She is a Cornell Certified Wellness Counselor with a background in Images & Screen Studies from New York University, who’s artwork is inspired by the world around us, but more so by the world inside our minds.
Kelly’s signature character in her work embodies the conscious mind. The notion of light and water, everyday interactions with people, and her cross-cultural identity as an American-Arab women, collectively play a role in her artistic journey and her first solo show.
Instagram @kelly_haddad
About the Show
“Finding Calm In Chaos” by Kelly Haddad consists of 15 artworks; 8 acrylic on canvas, and 7 framed illustrations. The show will feature old scraps of Haddad’s artistic journey and will have a charity element.
About Mira Hawa
Mira Hawa is a Creative Strategist and Marketing Communication Consultant for bespoke projects across Arts, Culture and Design. Her expertise lies in curation, project and relationship management, concept development, and marketing communication. “I connect the dots, do the outreach and cultivate relationships to make it happen!”
With a diverse global network, Mira has worked with emerging and established talent; representing them in Middle East Curated Moment at Crowmwell Place, London, “LEBANON | UNTITLED“ the largest show of Modern and Contemporary Lebanese art, Un (Common) Threads, a textile art show at Art Week, Dubai at Alserkal Avenue, a major Saudi Cultural entity, London Design Biennale, Institut du Monde Arabe, La Biennale di Venezia – International Art Exhibition, Dubai Design Week, “Iconic City Brilliant Beirut”, Art Dubai, London Craft Week.
She is also the co-designer of “Artist with Beirut” Relief Benefit Art Auction which helped raise over $255K for the Beirut Emergency Fund 2020 in the aftermath of the Beirut port blast of August 4, 2020.
Mira has international experience in the lifestyle and five-star luxury field, and NGO’s (special needs, breast cancer and yoga/wellbeing), covering Scandinavia, Europe, Middle East, and Asia.
Instagram @miragoesinsta
About L’atelier by Maher Attar
L’atelier by Maher Attar is a multifunctional creative space (Art Hub, Studio and Gallery expansion of Art District).
About Maher Attar
Maher Attar combines his background as an award-winning photographer with his war-time photography and lifestyle portrait of world leaders and celebrities. His clients include magazines, celebrities, and non-profit organizations. Attar held several positions throughout his career, such as Photographer and Communications Advisor to Her Royal Highness Princess Haya of Jordan and Director of The Photo Library at the office of Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, in charge of developing Qatar’s image bank and organizing programs designed for NGOs to teach children from Asian countries the techniques of photography.
Attar has been recognized regionally and internationally for his accomplishments in the world of photography. Lebanon honored him in the exhibition “Born in Lebanon” alongside the world-renowned singer Fayrouz and the internationally acclaimed fashion designer Elie Saab. The United Nations Environment Programme, exhibited his work at the Espace Pierre Cardin in Paris entitled, “Auprès de mon Arbre”, featuring nine large format photographs celebrating nature, water and life. In addition, the United Nations Photo Library has archived and used Maher’s moving picture of the French UN Peacekeeper during an exchange of fire in south Lebanon in 1986.
Attar’s book titled “Challenges & Reality” was sponsored by the Education Above All Foundation and captured the day-to-day circumstances of children around the world and their rights to education. The book was launched at the United Nations headquarters in New York and exhibited at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris. As an expert lomographer, Maher was selected by the MEP (European House of Photography) and IMA (the Arab World Institute) to exhibit his latest lomography work at the First Photography Biennale of the Contemporary Arab World in Paris from November 2015 to January 2016. Attar was also selected by EPSON Europe | France as a member for the Digigraphie® certification and is using the personal print-in-label within his artistic photographic fine art prints.
Attar has published more than 10 books and is the owner of Art District Gallery and L’Atelier by Maher Attar; a multifunctional creative space (Art Hub, Studio and Gallery expansion of Art District).
Instagram @bymaherattar @artdistrict
Website www.maherattar.com
About Our Supporters
Dry & Raw is a delicatessen boutique producing and offering a wide range of high-quality, organic, natural food products. Dry & Raw produces more than 50 types of local & international cheeses, dried fruits, nuts, and seeds oils to exotic spices, herbs, and international condiments. The boutique prides itself is on planting unique varieties of vegetables, herbs, and green, sourcing raw materials directly from local farmers and producers, ensuring freshness and quality while supporting local businesses.
Instagram @dryandraw.leb
Green Glass Recycling Initiative (GGRIL) – Lebanon addresses the lack of recycling of green and amber glass packaging by reviving the glass blowing artisanship which was invented in this land by the Phoenicians. In the July 2006 war, the only green glass manufacturing plant in Lebanon was destroyed and to date not rebuilt.The plant served the local beer and wine industries and used up all the green and amber glass from the Lebanese glass recycling stream.To date, about 71 million green and amber bottles end up in Landfills or uncontrolled dumps EVERY YEAR.
GGRIL aims to divert as much as possible of green/amber bottles from ending up in landfills or forests where they are a major fire hazard. All proceeds from the sales of these glass items will go back into the stream to provide more work for the glass blowing artisans and hence divert more colored glass from the waste stream and provide higher recycling & recuperation rates.
Until May 2018, GGRIL had diverted about 1,000,000 bottles from ending up in landfills by forwarding them to the glassblowers of Sarafand who have had more work in the last 5 years making GGRIL designs then they had for the last 25 years combined. After the August 4th, 2020 Beirut Port explosion, GGRIL played a major role in diverting up to 125 TONS of shattered windows glass to two glass making factories in North Lebanon, providing the struggling industries with free of charge raw materials delivered to their factories. The GGRIL collection expanded by working with these two factories on new designs and colors.
Instagram @ziad_abichaker
Tannourine Mineral Water is a Lebanese company founded in 1978. Their sole activity is filling the natural mineral spring waters out of the rugged Tannourine mountain region situated 1500 meters above sea level. The water is pristine in quality, high in mineral composition and delectably light. Five abundant springs situated within meters of each other, tap into the same reservoir.
The Tannourine company stretches a protective hand over an astounding natural reserve of one million square meters around the springs. The quality of the soil gives the water several precious mineral features and an unmatched degree of purity. A calcium content that is well balanced to make the water suitable to prevent osteoporosis, and the Magnesium gives a boost to the nervous system. The natural purity of the water is constantly monitored at the plant by qualified technicians that make Tannourine water pure, fresh, and natural – free of any chemical additive and perfectly indicated for newborns.
Reine Berbery, Brand Manager of Tannourine comments “Typically, Tannourine Mineral Water does not sponsor events or workshops because of the economic crises in Lebanon. I decided to partake because I was truly inspired by two amazing women, Kelly and Mira, who touched me deeply. It’s more than an art show. Most people in Lebanon are traumatized, so mental health is very important to address, which Kelly does beautifully.”
Bassatin Baanoub is a small team of organic producers of olives, oils, zaatar, seasonal vegetables, fruits, jams and honey and wildflowers! Bassatin Baanoub turn bad weeds and other underestimated flowers into bouquets and installations, with the purpose of spreading awareness around the richness of nature in a country where green spaces are shrinking. Bassatin Baanoub also plants fruit trees and seasonal vegetables and serve as beekeepers.
Production is in Baanoub, an olive grove nestled in the forest at the bottom of an isolated valley, in a green zone of around 6Km2 on the shore of the Awali river, in the South of Lebanon.
Farmed since Hellenistic times and officially abandoned at the beginning of the civil war, this vast territory with its rumbling river and vast forests is perched on the edge of a valley. It is one of the oldest farms still in activity in the Mediterranean with a history spanning 2,400 years.
Instagram @bassatinbaanoub