Author: Safir

2024 SAFIR Supporting Artist’s Exhibition in South Korea – Dana Alnafouri

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A Symphony of Lines and Nature

In the realm of contemporary art, Dana Alnafouri stands out as a beacon of innovation and introspection. A Syrian artist and researcher, Alnafouri’s work is a testament to her profound engagement with the world around her, seeking to understand it through artistic evidence and to reflect her cultural identity through historical visual representations.

Her art is not merely a practice but an adventurous interaction with colors, paper lines, and other elements, all converging in a joyful, minimalistic expression. Alnafouri’s fascination with nature’s beauty and scientific logic, coupled with the informative power of visual communication, fuels her inspiration. Whether it’s the surface of a canvas, the vicinity of a lab, or the classroom where she imparts knowledge, her creative processes unfold across various mediums, shaping a multidisciplinary career marked by an eagerness for knowledge, openness to communication, and a love for experimentation.

Dana recently completed her solo exhibition at the CICA Museum in South Korea. Titled “Tsukuba Crystallized Déjà Vu,” her collection invites viewers into a world where paper voids come alive with spontaneous strokes, infusing warmth into the cool stillness. The dance of memory and perception captures fleeting and eternal moments, transcending explicit boundaries. Colors blend, lines intersect, and dialogues resonate through the spaces between artworks, weaving a continuous narrative that envelops the viewer. In this gallery, nature’s rhythms intertwine with personal histories, reflecting the profound imprint on our psyche. Shadows and light play across surfaces, inviting deeper exploration. Dana’s artistic expression forms a mosaic that encourages us to see not only with our eyes but also with our souls – the profound stories whispered by the medium itself.

The concept of the exhibition layout of Dana’s artworks emphasize simplicity and direct engagement. The artworks are presented unframed on paper, which is practical and affordable. This approach highlights the raw beauty of the art and allows viewers to connect directly with the artist’s vision. By exhibiting in this straightforward manner, the focus is on the art itself, encouraging the audience to engage with it as an activity. This method ensures that the artwork remains accessible and authentic, fostering a more intimate and meaningful experience.

As she pursues her Ph.D. in Humanity and Social Sciences, with a focus on prehistory and archaeology, Alnafouri continues to intertwine her academic pursuits with her artistic endeavors. Her aspiration is for her art to resonate with viewers, evoking the joy and connectedness she experiences during its creation, and inviting them on a journey filled with discovery, emotion, and appreciation for the natural world’s beauty.

Dana Alnafouri’s work is more than just visual art; it’s a dialogue with time, nature, and the self, inviting us all to listen closely and join in the symphony of life’s rhythms. We invite our followers to stay tuned for this extraordinary exhibition, where we can all attune ourselves to the symphony of life’s cadences.

2018 Workshop – Summer Digital Tools Workshop in Beirut

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Digital Tools Workshop Beirut 2018

This summer, three SAFIR Artists (Wissam Al Shaabi, Akil Ahmad and Yamen Youssef) were out of seven artists participating in a four-day digital workshop that took place at Beirut’s Ashkal Alwan. The workshop was organised by Ein el-Fan in collaboration with SAFIR.

In line with one of the three skill sets that SAFIR works to develop in its artists Outreach, the main  purpose of the digital workshop was to develop artists’ ability to communicate virtually by growing their technical skills and online presence in order to help them expand their international reach.

Digital Tools Workshop Beirut 2018

The program, led by an international team with expertise in new media for art exposure , emphasised hands on learning. By the end of the workshop artists had worked on building new websites, writing artistic statements, developing their public speaking skills and leveraging their digital profiles.

2018 SAFIR Officially Launches in Dubai

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Dubai, U.A.E. ART DUBAI 2018 – Saturday March 24th marked an important milestone for SAFIR as we launched our NGO for the first time in Dubai. At the event, which took place as a part of Art Dubai Modern’s Misk Lounge in Madinat Jumeirah, we hosted people of interest as well as collectors and art market influencers to have a talk about SAFIR and its aims. One of our co-founders, Hala Khayat, took the time to thoroughly explain to the audience exactly what SAFIR was founded for. She later introduced the artists and ambassadors that have become a part of the SAFIR program so far.

 

 

SAFIR Artists, Noor Bahjat, Alaa Sharabi and Juhayda Al BItar – all of whom currently reside in the U.A.E. – went on stage to address the audience regarding their work and how SAFIR has helped them move forward in their artistic careers.  They each explained their preferred techniques and how they have evolved since joining the SAFIR family.

Alongside the introduction of the artists, Khayat presented the newly established SAFIR Ambassadors’ Program. Two of SAFIR’s ambassador’s, Jouhayna Samawi and Lina Attar, were in attendance of the event and explained their upcoming plans for to support SAFIR’s capacity building and networking objectives in 2018.

 

 

 

 

SAFIR Ambassador Mrs. Lina Attar

 

The first project, led by Beirut based Ambassador, Mrs. Lina Attar, is revolves around enrolment enrolling SAFIR artists in English language classes in Beirut, and following up with them weekly. Attar went on stage to share her experience thus far. The second project, led by Dubai based Mrs. Jouhayna Samawi, will be an event hosted in the aims of growing our network, enhancing outreach and more thoroughly introduce our purpose and goals in the fall of 2018.

 

 

 

SAFIR Cofounder, Hala Khayat, paying tribute to the late Fathallah Zamroud

At the end of the presentation, Khayat dedicated the talk to our late founder Fathallah Zamroud and paid tribute to his legacy. She then addressed the audience on different ways they could support SAFIR by either donating to the cause or dedicating their time to enhance the artists’ experiences.

 

 

 

 

 

Watch the full launch on the video below: