For the past ten years, the idea of creating this book has toiled in my head. However, it was not until I returned to my homeland, Lebanon, that BE Creative came to life. As a photographer, I see my country, with its chaotic existence, as a fertile ground for creativity. Yet, many Lebanese creators do not receive the recognition they deserve. With photography as my personal means of expression, I used it as a tool to shed light on our national jewels. The images are an artistic representation of the artists in motion. With my unnoticeable presence, I tried to capture the delicate birth moments of creations. I was discreet during the work shoots but loud in the personal portraits. I deliberately chose abandoned iconic places in Lebanon as a backdrop for the portraiture shots. The run-down condition of these places has always disturbed me. By highlighting the contrast between the creative subject and the messy background, the neglected is noticed.
I prodded the artists’ souls with the question,
“As a Lebanese creator, how has Lebanon’s terrain enriched your creativity and shaped the direction of your art?”
Subtly, I attempted to peek into their depth and to bring out the motivating elements influencing their work owed to the ancient grounds of this country. Their answers are found in the text by the images in the designated chapters. I dedicated an individual segment to each artist with each theme beginning with a visit to the artist’s studio and then an outdoor series of portraiture. A documentation of the creative process followed by a staged photoshoot.

свернуть