In the final phase of our Gallery Talks series, we explore each artist's influence, process. and core themes depicted in their works - at our recent group exhibition ‘Interconnected’, in collaboration with Arneli Art Gallery. Lodi Sabra is a Lebanese artist with a Masters Degree in Plastic Arts from the Lebanese University, IBA2. Using diverse materials like fabrics, papers, wood, iron, wires and sand, she aims to express her mixed feelings about Life itself. Creating dynamic, random yet very disciplined compositions, Lodi creates an artistic space for positivity and hope.
With innocent but extraordinarily rich colours, her works represent her ongoing passion for nature, art and human existence. Through her powerful body of work and a perfect combination of mediums and compositions, she brings life to the untouched spaces and speaks to the viewer’s soul.
What inspires your style?
The themes I choose in my artwork are from my reality and my life.The artist usually searches for concepts for this artwork by searching for what is in the secrets of his soul.
What sort of experimentation has led you to your current style as an artist?
The most important experiences that I had during my artist journey led me to be more daring in mixing techniques, raw and multiple materials to produce rich works, whether in content or execution technique.
Why did you start making art? How did you kickstart your artistic endeavour?
My artistic path began since childhood, and then the dream was fulfilled went to study it academically, in order to navigate the world of arts
What other artists, genres or movements do you draw inspiration from?
One of the most important art schools that moved my inspiration in the beginning was the impressionist school and its artists, Claude Monet, Pierre Bonnard. I dived into the principles of the abstract school, and from there I have now produced many of my artworks.
If you could change one aspect of society or social issues through your work, what would it be?
I feel that embodying an artwork dealing with violence against women would be the strongest response and the most important social message that moves public opinion against the patriarchal society in our Arab World.
What ultimate messages do your creative expressions convey?
The most important messages that I aimed to convey to the recipient are: the lived reality and the events that society is going through.
What do you do to get into your creative zone?
We reach creativity in the artwork when the artist has credibility in translating his feelings and emotions with full transparency in front of the recipient who watches the artwork.
What are the biggest challenges you've had in your art?
The biggest challenges I have faced in my artwork is to convey an idea or concept that simulates every recipient in society and not a specific segment of people.
Are there any thoughts you wish to share in relation to the theme of interconnectedness? (the impact the global events of the last 3 years have had in your artistic endeavours as a female artist)
The past three years have contributed to the presentation of my artworks, both through the October revolution in Lebanon the corona pandemic, and the explosion of the port of Beirut, because the artist can only embody the evidence in a picture, painting, or sculpture, and translate his inner emotions into his artistic language.
Has technology had any impact on your artistic practice? In what ways has it affected or shaped it?
Technology has indirectly enriched my artistic path, either by browsing many international art sites, or by learning about new artistic techniques, which contributed to enriching my artistic works with new visions and methods.
Are there recurring themes in your work, or any that have emerged as your work has evolved?
There is a permanent diversity in the production of my artworks with new visions and methods that keep pace with the era, and reality. The most important stage of my artwork, in which an artistic development occurred, was during my master's during in 2017, where I produced works rich in different techniques and materials, and I consider that phase to be an advanced one, which contributed to the development of my artistic path.
What are you working on now and next?
There is a new concept that I want to research and delve into it more in terms of the upcoming artwork, and it simulates the reality I live in, but it is being studied so far.
INTERCONNECTED - A group exhibition of 18 women artists from across Africa and the Middle East; showcasing 36 works in a variety of mediums and perspectives outlined in paintings, mixed media and digital art. Bordering between the known and the unknown, abstraction and figuration; the selected artists examine the interconnected complexities of human experience detailed through distinct artistic styles and approaches - in personal theory and form.
Visit the exhibition here.