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It took a terrorist attack, verbal harassment, and a thought-provoking art assignment for Lebanese-American artist George Awde to decide to explore his Arab roots. But what started out as a visit to the region to experience Arab culture and resolve the issue of his identity turned into a long-term stay that so far has lasted eight months… and still counting. Born and raised in the United States by Lebanese parents, Awde spent most of his teenage years in conflict with his Lebanese heritage, which, according to him, clashed with his artist’s lifestyle. But the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack and the subsequent verbal harassment to which he was subjected to in the United States, pushed Awde to explore his heritage and reconcile himself with his two identities. At the time, he was studying at the Massachusetts College of Art in Boston. There, one day, when he found himself struggling with a class assignment that required him to translate his feelings about 9/11 into art, he made the decision to go back to his origins for an answer. “I decided I didn’t know enough about the countries and cultures of the Arab world,” Awde said. So, he flew over—in an attempt to reconnect with his roots and collect research for his art, now dedicated to Arab and Middle Eastern cultures. Awde’s aim is to portray the richness of Arab culture to an America that has been viewing the Arabs with suspicion, in the hope that he can bridge the gap between the two worlds through his art. The first fruits of his artistic endeavors in the region were presented in an exhibition held at the UNESCO Palace, April 7-9, at the invitation of the Middle Eastern Studies Society of the American University of Beirut. Entitled “Six Months in Sana’a: Questions of Identity, the Journey of an Arab-American,” the display consisted of nearly 30 photographs and paintings inspired by everyday scenes of Sanaa, Yemen. In this, his first show in Lebanon, Awde focused his lens on the decorative objects of Yemeni taxis and daily activities from the marketplace or streets of Sanaa. One exception was a photograph that captured a street corner in Bourj Hammoud, an Armenian neighborhood in Lebanon that had grabbed Awde’s attention. “It’s one of my favorite places in the Beirut area. It’s got a nice energy to it,” he said. The exhibition also included abstract paintings and mixed-media collages. “My paintings are abstract,” said Awde, “but they come from stories of people I know.” Awde’s artwork caught the attention of the society, most of whose members are also affiliated with the Center for Arab and Middle Eastern Studies (CAMES). “When I saw George’s work I was impressed and was very happy to see a native American focus on and express Arab culture in his art,” said Jihane Mullin, the society’s president. The exhibition was the first cultural event organized by the one-year-old society. Awde, who is giving art classes through the Art Club, is developing material for an exhibition on Lebanon, which he hopes to hold before the end of the year.
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