Arab artists: Mazen al-Rifai’s watercolor dreams

Lebanese artist Mazen al-Rifai watercolor artwork has been praised for its capacity to employ decorative features through the absence of their actual forms.

He explored through his art the Lebanese city of Baalbek, a town in the Beqaa Valley of Lebanon situated east of the Litani River.

“Many questions cross my mind when I find myself in certain places or settings. For example, why should we bother ourselves and build a temple like this one in Baalbek? I cannot find answers for such questions,” Rifai said.

Lebanese artist Mazen al-Rifai

The artist first worked in water colors, then after almost 40 years switched to oil painting.

Rifai graduated from the Art Institute at the Lebanese University with a Higher Studies Diploma in 1981.

He learnt an unquestionable fact at an early age: creativity entails posing questions. And so, he started raising endless questions that have left a big question mark, which he named Baalbek.

Mazen al-Rifai’s academic journey kicked off from Baabda to the Faculty of Arts in Beirut and ended in Paris. That journey went beyond his native town and even his dream, culminating in his mastering arts and architecture.

Since colors are falling short of expressing themselves, Mazen chose black and white for “Baalbek” book cover, which unveiled another creative aspect of Mazen, apart from architecture and art.

“Water color technique is the most difficult. Water colors reflect my personality,” Rifai added.

To read more and view Mazen al-Rifai’s art please follow the link: http://enawafeth.alarabiya.net/content/when-water-color-paintings-pose-question-marks