Tania Nasr discusses her artwork: arab media | arabian actor | arab lifestyle | fashion

 Tania Nasr discusses her artwork

A ceramicist in Paris, Lebanon discusses the work done in 2020 amid the social and economic collapse in Lebanon.

My background is actually not in the arts. I have a PhD in anthropology and worked at the French Museum of Natural History. My husband had the opportunity to move to China, so we moved to Singapore. I had been in the intellectual field for so many years and I wanted to do something with my hands.

I took art classes and after one phase of pottery, I said: ‘Okay, here it is. This is what I really want to do. ‘What I love about pottery is how you can touch and move the clay. He has a dialogue with the clay. It's very liberating, very natural. And your brain is not working. I mean it works, but not in the same way.

My goal is to keep pressing the clay as much as possible. I tear it up, make holes in it and put it together. It's always like a game with clay. To me, it’s like a lifelong metaphor: It can never be smooth, there are always dangers, cracks, and you have to keep going.

I grew up in Lebanon and left when I was 17 years old. The story of this country should always be left to you. While I was not living there, I had this beautiful picture of it. I have memories of the Lebanese mountains and their colors - red, yellow, purple. They always move me. You can see on the horizon one mountain after another, they look like a line. When I first started making art pottery, I started mixing different pottery into horizons, similar to the landscape.

My pieces are round but with this clip, I open it slightly. Too much damage. I think it is directly connected with the whole spirit in Lebanon. I had no plan for what I was doing; it was very natural. When I looked at my piece, I thought it was chaos - much more than any of my other jobs. We had a two-year conflict in Lebanon. There is also less violence in the workplace.

I really like this picture, because the change in my career is also a link to the time I spent in Lebanon. I will not sell it. I'll keep it for myself.

Have you ever wondered how the Spanish capital, Madrid, came to be? It’s an amazing story, not least because of its Arabic links. Many historians say that when the Moors of North Africa ruled the Iberian Peninsula until the end of the 15th century, the walled city was called Magrit - a name derived from the Arabic ‘magra’, meaning water flow; an index of the Manzanares River flowing through the city.

The Moors have left behind a lasting, well-documented influence in Spain - from language and food to architecture. More than 3,000 words in Spanish have Arabic roots, and Madrid is reportedly the only Arab capital in Europe.

One of the last traces of the Moors in Madrid is the now-defunct limestone wall, built in the ninth century near Emir Muhammad Park. One of the most important Arab-related monuments is Casa Arabe, a well-known cultural center celebrating 15 years this year. Its purpose - to promote and enhance cultural relations between Spain and the Arab world - is not always straightforward, given the turbulent political situation in the Middle East.

“Our work has not been accomplished. Much remains to be done, perhaps more than ever, ”Casa Arabe Cultural Coordinator Nuria Medina Garcia told Arab News. “We are all always very enthusiastic. We believe in what we do. I could not see myself working elsewhere. ”

Garcia, a Spanish naturalist who has worked in Jerusalem, has been a leading member of the institute since its inception in 2006 (officially opened by King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain in 2008). We gather inside the conference center's large conference room, which is filled with paintings by Arab artists. Casa Arabe's magnificent red brick building was a school, built in the late 19th century in a style known as Neo-Mudejar, a form of Moorish architecture.

Casa Arabe works in partnership with the Spanish Foreign Ministry to promote Arab Arab culture through circular discussions, lectures, publications, language courses, concert performances. The other headquarters is in Cordoba, a place south of Andalusian culture. It has many exhibitions by well-respected artists, including veteran Algerian publisher Rachid Koraichi and the late Moroccan photographer Leila Alaoui. Upcoming shows will feature contemporary female artists from the Arab world and Mauritanian art.

Recently, the center showcased a group photo exhibition entitled "Barzakh: Between Worlds," which focused on the lives of young people in the Maghreb.

As evidenced by recent developments in Afghanistan, the Middle East continues to struggle with serious social and political problems, from religious fervor to mass migration. In Garcia's own experience, regional superstitions, diversity, and culture continue.

"There is a big difference between Moroccan and Saudi Arabia - just as there is a difference between Spain and Norway," he said. “That is very basic. It may sound absurd but it is still found in Spain, and I am sure in many other European countries, that is a combination of ideas. Misconceptions arise not only from the average citizen, but also from journalists, I must say. ”

The lack of efforts to understand the characteristics of the Arabian Peninsula and its presence in Spain are part of the problem, according to Garcia, and the general disregard for such efforts.

He continues: “Sometimes I feel out of place. “I think it exists now. I mean, it's very clear to us that we don't make a problem with it. ”However, Casa Arabe's work is not in vain. Many overseas NGOs, universities, academics, and artists highly value its work, seeing it as an important meeting place for open discussion and space