la storia siamo noi

(l’arte di Mohammad Bin Lamin, testimone della storia drammatica del suo popolo e capace di trasformare gli strumenti della guerra in immagini di pace. Un artista che ha sempre promosso la pace, la convivenza e il rispetto.) Silvia Casilli.

(the art of Mohammad Bin Lamin, witness the dramatic story of his people and capable of transforming the tools of war in peace images. An artist who has always promoted peace, co-existence and respect.)

From: Rai Educational – ITALY
http://www.lastoriasiamonoi.rai.it/
Mohammad Bin Lamin

I fantasmi della nuova Libia
La Libia festeggia l’anniversario dell’inizio della Rivoluzione che ha sconfitto Gheddafi. Il Paese ha conquistato la libertà, ma non ancora la democrazia. Un viaggio attraverso i fantasmi di questa difficile fase di transizione.

View The Program:
http://www.lastoriasiamonoi.rai.it/pop/schedaVideo640480.aspx?id=880

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The Power of Mohammad Bin Lamin’s Art and The Libyan Revolution

By Hego Goevert

Anyone who says you can’t see a thought simply doesn’t know art (Wynetka Ann Reynolds) 

Can art be subversive? Oh, yes, it can! And there is no better evidence for this statement than the art of Mohammad Bin Lamin.Let me come right to the point:

Mohammad Bin Lamin’s art is unique. It cannot be categorized. And, of course, it eludes the control of any authority. His art clearly contributed to the outbreak of the Libyan revolution. He is one of those artists, writers, intellectuals who prepared the ground.

If you are able to ‘read’ paintings, you simply have to have a look at his 2007 series ‘Figures’ which depicts the pre-revolutionary atmosphere in Libya. Figures – painted on a unique blue background – in yellow, red, white, brown, wildly moving, dancing, and whirling around like some sort of mystical dervishes. The series expresses the irrepressible passion, the individual desire for freedom. Later, in his New Media series, Bin Lamin takes a closer look at the people’s faces and you can see grim, wrath. He also started to paint groups of people as if there would be a secret gathering going on…

When I got the news of his detention I immediately implemented various actions – together with my fellow artists of the internationally acclaimed MIRCA ART GROUP. We implemented actions as we had done before in aid of the release of Burma’s (Myanmar’s) Aung San Suu Kyi and China’s Ai Weiwei. Now one of our fellow members, Mohammad Bin Lamin, had been arrested and for unbearable 6 months we did not know if he was still alive.We felt more than a great relief and joy when we got the news that our friend had been freed from the detention in the infamous Abu- Salim-prison. This was a kind of victory for all of us!

Of course, Mohammad Bin Lamin’s art has changed since the end of the revolution. I think, it’s quite typical for him, that he started doing a captivating series called ‘Sculptures of War’, showing impressive sculptures made of bullet casings, in which he comforts and encourages the amputees of the revolution (“Life can be joyful and rewarding again!”). Only after doing this series he started to overcome his own trauma by doing the amazing ‘Torture of Tintalos’ series.

I do not think that anyone of us can imagine what Mohammad Bin Lamin has gone through during his detention – knowing that his wife was pregnant. I was so touched when she finally gave birth to
two lovely girls, his daughters Takbeer & Tahleel. May they reap in their lives what their father and the other heroes of the revolution sowed!.

I am so proud of being called Mohammad’s FRIEND. It is an honour to be friend with someone who stood up for the freedom of the individual, for the freedom of speech and art, for the dignity of man and for social justice. Though deeply rooted in the great culture of Libya, Mohammad Bin Lamin is a ‘global citizen’. I
cannot think of any better cultural ambassador for Libya!.

————————————————————————————————————————————

* Some of the places where Hego’s Artwork was displayed:

Cologne (Germany, Kalshof, “Cologne meets New York” Group Exhibition) 2011; New York
(USA, Skylight Gallery NYC, “Gestalt- German artists in Conversation” Group Exhibition)
2011; Cape Town (South Africa, Belinda Anvil- The Rainbow Experience Gallery- “Freedom and Art”-
Project/Travelling Exhibition) 2010 and the list goes on…

la storia siamo noi [2]
From: Rai Educational – ITALY
http://www.lastoriasiamonoi.rai.it/

I fantasmi della nuova Libia La Libia festeggia l’anniversario dell’inizio della Rivoluzione che ha sconfitto Gheddafi. Il Paese ha conquistato la libertà, ma non ancora la democrazia. Un viaggio attraverso i fantasmi di questa difficile fase di transizione. From: Rai Educational – ITALY

http://www.lastoriasiamonoi.rai.it/pop/schedaVideo640480.aspx?id=880

la storia siamo noi [1]
From: Rai Educational – ITALY
http://www.lastoriasiamonoi.rai.it/

I fantasmi della nuova Libia La Libia festeggia l’anniversario dell’inizio della Rivoluzione che ha sconfitto Gheddafi. Il Paese ha conquistato la libertà, ma non ancora la democrazia. Un viaggio attraverso i fantasmi di questa difficile fase di transizione. From: Rai Educational – ITALY

http://www.lastoriasiamonoi.rai.it/pop/schedaVideo640480.aspx?id=880

la storia siamo noi From: Rai Educational – ITALY

Middle East artists connected with International artists

By: Fred van Welie

I like travelling, I visit Mali 3 times, Egypt, Turkey, Mexico and of course different European countries, I want to see how people are living, working and I’m a photographer, videographer and designer.

Over 2 years ago I created an international NING community website for the Greek art organization “Art through friendship can change the World” This resulted in a great exhibition after 9 months in the Technopolis, in the Centre of Athens . At that moment there were about 700 artists from all over the world active on this Website, 200 of them have submitted their work, there were at least 100 artists actually present. Because I was closely involved in the organization, I have been for 3 weeks in Athens, we discussed, talked, enjoy and eat together, It was an unique experience for all, not only via Internet, but really to be able to meet, to see each other, shake hands and talk. See: http://www.behance.net/gallery/Expositie-AthensArt-2010/880217

That is why I have contacts with a lot of Arab artists too on LinkedIn, Facebook, etc. The Arab democratization showed that these artists are very driven to be involved to their culture and producing their art. As known Internet gives a major breakthrough in the Arab world (and global). There are many artists and art groups active on LinkedIn and Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/groups/113511402020799/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/Artgroups2011/ Many artists are involved in the democratization of these countries, some have been imprisoned because they were too active, some with showing their work and vision of the whole thing. So I met Mohammad Bin Lamin by connecting through some Internet meetings. We stayed friends and keep in contact till now.

This involvement with art and culture seems very attractive to me, as Dutch artist.

I like to see the work and the artists stories, to see how they work on different living conditions then we have in the Western world, but I like it, I just think about art, I live in a democratic country and I’m glad to hear and discuss the way Arabian Artists are working now. Art is global, artists are global and can affect the world, despite their upcoming democratic countries, customs, religion and living standards, indicating that an encounter in the real world can strongly contribute to mutual recognition and society.

So I try to stay in contact with these artists and try to help where I can, I’m not rich too, but helping this virtual way just costs time. That is why I sign protest mailings, place some letters from freedom organizations and try to connect with more and more. Next year I will try to organize an exhibition in The Netherlands to connect the Arabian art world with the Dutch (western) art to give a positive view of life.

Fred van Welie

http://nl.linkedin.com/pub/fred-van-welie/12/80b/497

http://www.designerfeats.com/lookbooks/vanwelie

Hidden Libyan Art

Hidden Libyan Art: Mohammed Bin Lamin

Jul 8, 2011By Ghazi Gheblawi

Imtidad|امتــــداد
Cultural Blog | مدونة ثقافية

For decades many aspects of Libyan culture has been overshadowed by the images and manifestations of the Gaddafi tyrannical regime. Libyan writers and artists became a rare breed, stricken with oppression, poverty, and above all ignorance and neglect.

I am trying with this series of posts on (Imtidad) to present the hidden face of Libyan art and artists, that began to breath the fresh air of freedom, and are looking forward to enjoy more open, inspirational, creative atmosphere, enabling them to be part of the social, and cultural changes that Libya will be undergoing in the next few years.
****

“Today, I call you in and draw upon my colour, love and brandings of the heart canvas; rising at your revelation threshold, pure white on the veil of the other painting.” -Mohammed Bin Lamin
Mohammed Bin Lamin, is a Libyan artist that draws inspiration from his environment and surroundings, born and raised in Misurata, Libya’s third largest city, he embodied a combination of the rural and urban in his paintings and works of art.

Bin Lamin, indulges in the ancient history of Libya, especially the ancient cave paintings in southern Libya, dating back 12,000 years ago, and the depiction of ancient Libyans on the walls of ancient Egyptian tombs and monuments, and also Libyan traditional art and legends.

His interest in bright and subtle colours, which reflect in many ways the natural colours of the Libyan landscape, gives him that unique trademark, distinguishing him from other Libyan modern artists.

His experimentalist surreal sculptures and digital art works can be in some cases very intriguing, but they reflect his quest to experiment with different materials and freedom from restrictions and conformity.

His painted beings, with their deformed, disproportionate, heads and bodies, with their glowing colours of Yellow, green, red, brown and blue, the colours of the Libyan landscape, reflect a torn, sometimes deformed, identity, which tries to mix the different and divers, and conflicting, identities of Libya, a land of desert, and sea, rural and urban, the serious and absurd.

The Beings of Mohammed Bin Lamin, are entombed in their colourful, deformed submissive world. They don’t seem able to escape their mundane reality, surrendering to a life of boredom and frustration, but not for Long…

Mohammed Bin Lamin, was born in Misurata in 1969, artist, painter, and sculptor. His works has been shown in many art exhibitions in Libya, Egypt, Tunisia, UK, and China, his works were reproduced as book covers for many Libyan writers.

He was arrested by Gaddafi regime at his art studio in Misurata on the 16th Februry 2011 there has been no reports of his condition or whereabouts since.

For more information of his works visit his official website Assakeefa Art Gallery

—————————————————————

Works & Life

Mohammad Bin Lamin – Works & Life

By Solara Sabah

“The aim of every artist is to arrest motion, which is life, by artificial means and hold it fixed so that a hundred years later, when a stranger looks at it, it moves again since it is life.” – Faulkner

Mohammad Bin Lamin’s Art is breathtaking and truly remarkable work.

Binlamin focuses on his ideas and pour it on a wide variety of mediums.

Mohammad Bin Lamin, is a Libyan born artist and lives in Misurata. He is a self- taught, self-representing artist and sculptor. Internally motivated, and guided by his own spirituality. He uses mix media to produce his art which enables him to vary his styles and creations.

His work is powerful, and conveys his emotions and can be, at times, both poetic or visual poetry and abstract art, simultaneously. “The Yellow being series”,” Being Who is Enclose in White series”, “Abstract of new Space”, “Angelical Dance Circle series”, are few examples of Binlmain’s work, which are very inspiring and illustrate his techniques and creativity.

Experience of Abu Salim Prison

“Art does not exist only to entertain, but also to challenge one to think, to provoke, even to disturb, in a constant search for truth”.

During the Libyan Revolution, Binlamin was detained and sent to Abu Salim prison while he was there he filled the prison’s wall with his paintings using the foil plates to draw. Abu Salim drawings are truly unique works and reveal his creative side to share his visions about freedom as he imagined it for himself and for all Libyans.

It takes creativity to work with unusual mediums and thats what Bin lamin did, he used the bullet’s shells, empty bullets, and metallic wires which were left over after the war and build out of it a very interesting and amazing sculptures to symbolized the “Revolution” he titled them ‘ Sculptures of War”. “Sculptures of Libyan Revolution” and Sculptures to Honor the War’s Amputees.

Accomplishments:

1. Mohammad Bin Lamin discovered a new and unknown technical task which is regarded as substantial addition in the world of techniques and media

2. . Mohammad Bin Lamin invented new Media with new techniques on the painting based on special materials using photographic burned – paper. It is inexpensive method and has important results and quick implementation, durable and can be washed with water.

The Power of Mohammad Bin Lamin’s Art and The Libyan Revolution

The Power of Mohammad Bin Lamin’s Art and The Libyan

Revolution

By Hego Goevert

(Young Chronicle- Issue: 12, Volume: 01,

April 2012)

 

“Anyone who says you can’t see a thought simply doesn’t know art”

(Wynetka Ann Reynolds)

Can art be subversive? Oh, yes, it can! And there is no better

evidence for this statement than the art of Mohammad Bin Lamin.

Let me come right to the point:

Mohammad Bin Lamin’s art is unique. It cannot be categorized.

And, of course, it eludes the control of any authority. His art

clearly contributed to the outbreak of the Libyan revolution. He is

one of those artists, writers, intellectuals who prepared the ground.

If you are able to ‘read’ paintings, you simply have to have a look at

his 2007 series ‘Figures’ which depicts the pre-revolutionary

atmosphere in Libya. Figures – painted on a unique blue

background – in yellow, red, white, brown, wildly moving, dancing,

and whirling around like some sort of mystical dervishes. The

series expresses the irrepressible passion, the individual desire for

freedom. Later, in his New Media series, Bin Lamin takes a closer

look at the people’s faces and you can see grim, wrath. He also

started to paint groups of people as if there would be a secret

gathering going on…

 

 

When I got the news of his detention I immediately implemented

various actions – together with my fellow artists of the

internationally acclaimed MIRCA ART GROUP. We implemented

actions as we had done before in aid of the release of Burma’s

(Myanmar’s) Aung San Suu Kyi and China’s Ai Weiwei. Now one of

our fellow members, Mohammad Bin Lamin, had been arrested

and for unbearable 6 months we did not know if he was still alive.

We felt more than a great relief and joy when we got the news that

our friend had been freed from the detention in the infamous Abu-

Salim-prison. This was a kind of victory for all of us!

Of course, Mohammad Bin Lamin’s art has changed since the end

of the revolution. I think, it’s quite typical for him, that he started

doing a captivating series called ‘Sculptures of War’, showing

impressive sculptures made of bullet casings, in which he comforts

and encourages the amputees of the revolution (“Life can be joyful

and rewarding again!”). Only after doing this series he started to

overcome his own trauma by doing the amazing ‘Torture of

Tintalos’ series.

 

 

I do not think that anyone of us can imagine what Mohammad Bin

Lamin has gone through during his detention – knowing that his

wife was pregnant. I was so touched when she finally gave birth to

two lovely girls, his daughters Takbeer & Tahleel. May they reap in

their lives what their father and the other heroes of the revolution

sowed!

I am so proud of being called Mohammad’s FRIEND. It is an

honour to be friend with someone who stood up for the freedom of

the individual, for the freedom of speech and art, for the dignity of

man and for social justice. Though deeply rooted in the great

culture of Libya, Mohammad Bin Lamin is a ‘global citizen’. I

cannot think of any better cultural ambassador for Libya!