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!
Art Shade 