Mazen Khaddaj: Dubai is an important place for artists

Lebanese artist Masen Khataj described Dubai as an important station for creative people, pointing out the excellence the city has to offer in all aspects from art to culture, health services, tourism and expressed his happiness at his first exhibition in Dubai. Entitled “Finding Yourself,” it runs through October 10 at Urbanest Art Gallery.

In his paintings, Khadaj reflects his search for ego, especially after trying to overcome many crises and difficult times, colors were his means of translating subjective feelings. The works of the exhibition are divided into two groups: the first is called “Lost and Found”, in which the artist reveals moments of loss, leading the recipient to find himself with the second group, whose title is “Self”.

Psychological state

The paintings presented by Khataj reflect the psychological state he went through. His colors are very faithful to his feelings and the events of his life, so the viewer sees them as loss, broken states and rebuilding of self. His colors highlight the feelings he experienced when life took away many things, including his father and motherland, and how he worked to restore his conscience and self, so the paintings were a lifeline from all life situations.

Khadaj told Emirates Today about his first exhibition in Dubai: “I started painting these works in 2021 and they translate what I went through in 2020, when I went through a very general crisis in my life related to my nation, Lebanon. The Beirut port explosion, as well as the crises that affected my personal life, including the death of my father due to (corona) and my moving from one city to another in Germany.

He added: “I lost many things and instead I gained other things, and I translated these feelings through colors. The level of loss I experienced made me discover a lot about myself, because loss makes a person search for courage and strength within himself.”

Arbitrary

Kataj points out that he went through a period of depression, but this group was his savior, and therefore his colors have more strength. Also, the color group he works with is different as a result of his move to live in Germany. In this country it is very saturated with nature and different colored lights.

He points out that he tends towards spontaneity and spontaneity in artistic works as he gives them complete freedom to rely on talent and ideas.

Khataj, who works in the film production industry, explains, “His combination of music and film photography brings two people together in a special place.” Regarding the difference in his dealings with painting and pictorial performance, he added: “Photography allows me to address important issues like political topics and racism or other shocking ideas, but in photography the spontaneity is intentional, and it’s a two-dimensional painting.”

He found painting to be a different experience and often personal, so he did not ask questions while painting, but followed the color, and after experimenting with painting more than one work, the real idea might emerge. He confirmed that he worked with film programs on personal topics, including filming his father on his deathbed three hours before his death, and later making more than one film about his death and his relationship with his father.

Between simplicity and depth

Khataj moves between simplicity and depth in the titles of his paintings, when he paints and gives them simple titles, it may seem to some that they belong to that simple style, but in reality they have real depth in their meaning. , emphasizing that the title does not always indicate whether the graphs presented are deep or not.

Regarding stability in art and its applicability, he believed that it was possible to accomplish stable installation works, while it was difficult to provide this in paintings.

He noted that his first exhibition in Dubai was a valuable opportunity for him as an artist, as the city has become an important station for artists and is distinguished by the presence of art, culture, health and tourism services and any presence. The fact that the creator shows his works there ensures the continuity of the art.

Masen Kataj:

• My first exhibition in Dubai was a prestigious opportunity… and having any artist in it ensures continuity.

• I tend to be spontaneous in artistic work as I trust talent and give it complete freedom.

good time

Mai Al-Haj, a curator at Emirates Al-Youm, told Emirates Al-Youm about his work at Mason Ghadaj’s exhibition: “I felt it was the right time for the artist to exhibit his work in Dubai, and I met him in Lebanon and coordinated with him. To present the exhibition. He added, “Everything presented in the exhibition was consistent, especially the collection of the last period, which reveals the changes that affected his colors, especially reflecting through them the self he discovered and discovered.”

Al-Haj said, “Dubai plays a significant role in the global art market today because there are major venues for art fairs, including (Art Dubai) and (Dubai Design Week), all of which reflect the positive in the career of any artist who is here.”