Ihab Ahmad, B. 1983

Lebanon

Born in Beirut in 1983, Ihab Ahmad’s works are a representation of pristine childish joy juxtaposed with the difficulties of youth. Ihab aims to send a message of hope in his artworks, a gift for the people of his generation, who want to move forward and live in a better Lebanon, and naturally a better world. His formula is to use painting to abandon frustrations and focus on dreaming. He believes if we do not have the resources to make a change, we can all at least dream of it.

Ihab’s subject matter is inspired by his childhood memories. His artworks feature creatures that he plays with through connecting various figures in a harmonized and vivid atmosphere, in a land free of fear, worry, or malice. Ihab developed a symbiotic relationship with his familiar yet imaginary symbols such as fish, eyes, trees, and man-made symbols like patterns and geometric forms, all of which emerged as an intense and bright abstraction. Everything that is alive during childhood.

He is influenced by Paul Klee’s work (1940-1879) who said: “Art does not reproduce what we see; rather it makes us see.” Ihab is also the founder of Beirut Art Studio, a creative space teaching Art and Design in Beirut.