Farid Mansour (artist)

Farid Mansour
Native name فريد منصور
Born 1929 (1929)
Beirut, Lebanon
Died 2010 (aged 80–81)
Alma mater
Known for Sculpting and Painting
Website faridmansour.com

Farid Mansour [1] (1929–2010) (Arabic: فريد منصور‎) was a Lebanese sculptor and painter.

Biography

Born In 1929 in Beirut, Farid Mansour enrolled in the Lebanese Academy of Fine Arts (ALBA) in 1946, and was also mentored by the Italian artist Fernando Manetti[2] between 1946 and 1949.[3]

Seeking financial stability, Mansour migrated to Liberia for several years. He returned to his homeland in the mid 1950's to pursue his artistic career[4].

In 1961, Mansour invited and encouraged by Manetti himslef, traveled to Italy specifically to Manetti's town of San Gimignano, where he continued his studies until 1963, after which he returned to Lebanon again[5]. In 1969, he traveled to London and enrolled in the City and Guilds of London Arts School[3], acquiring additional skills in sculpting and painting. During his stay in London and as a result of his outstanding skills he had private tuition and was assigned his own working space in the Pharaonic and in the Greco-Roman department of the British Museum[3] between the years 1974 and 1976.Towards the end of 1976 he worked as a sculptor in Madame Tussauds[3] where he participated in the making of several statues.

In 1977, he was offered British citizenship, however he decided not to continue with the procedures out of fear that the erupted war in his homeland will lead to severe political and geographical disrupt, and that when he returns back at a later date he would find his country not the country he once knew, the land not his land and the democracy no longer the same [6]. He returned once again to his homeland to take part, in his own way, in the drastic sociopolitical changes taking place.

He never again left Beirut, enduring the various phases of the Lebanese war, including the bombing and shelling[7]. His artworks during and after the Lebanese war were greatly influenced by the tragic events, humanitarian issues and dilemmas resulting from armed conflicts. Since then many of his artworks embodied the need for change towards a better future, freedom and equality[8].

Mansour taught arts and painting at the Lebanese University and participated in various cultural events and exhibitions. He died in Beirut in 2010 at the age of 81, leaving behind an artistic heritage[9] ranging between various painting schools from Classical to Modern to Abstract. He also left behind many sculptures of varying topics and techniques.

In October 2018 a documentary about Mansour was broadcast on Tele Liban, the Lebanese Official TV Station: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rI4pKKXVtsg&list=PL_aiKCsGozdOpE3-gyL-Ja2Tfd7bBf_sE&index=1

In addition to being an artist, Farid Mansour was also a poet, a critic and a writer publishing in several Lebanese and Arab journals such as Alsafir, Alanwar, Alnidaa’, Alanbaa’, Alshiraa’, Alarabi, Alazmina Alarabiya, Alkhalijiya[10].

Art Works

One of his most striking sculptures is the one known as "Moments before the hanging", which is an apt description for the aura of terror emanating from the man's face as feelings of dread and fear are combined with the realization of his fate as the noose tightens around his neck . It is believed that the piece has been lost/stolen during one of the various episodes of the Lebanese war.

Exhibitions

Farid Mansour participated in many solo exhibitions:

  • 1962 – West Hall, American University of Beirut
  • 1967 – Soviet Cultural Center – Beirut
  • 1980 – Choueifat Municipality Hall – Choueifat, Lebanon
  • 1980 – Ras El Matn – Ras El Matn, Lebanon
  • 1980 – Soviet Union Graduates Alumni - Ministry of Tourism , the Glass Hall
  • 1988 – Soviet Cultural Center – Beirut
  • 2006 – Lebanese Artists Association with artists Adnan Al Masri and Moufid Zeitouni


He also participated in many national exhibitions since the year 1959:

  • Sursok Museum - Beirut
  • UNESCO Hall - Beirut
  • Ministry of Tourism - Beirut
  • Beit El Din Castle - Beit El Din
  • Lebanese university - Beirut
  • Soviet Cultural Center - Beirut

On the international level, he continuously participated in exhibitions such as :

  • 1971 - 1976 Mall Galleries in London
  • 1983 – Al Turath Gallery, New York
  • 1987 - Institut du Monde Arabe, Paris
  • 1988 – National Museum, Damascus
  • 1989 – Barbican Center, London[11]

References

  1. ↑ "Mansour, Farid".
  2. ↑ Michel Fani – Dictionnaire de la Peinture au Liban – Edition de l’escalier 1998.
  3. 1 2 3 4 ""Mansour, Farid", Benezit Dictionary of Artists, Oxford Art Online".
  4. ↑ "Artist's Biography".
  5. ↑ Dr. Ziad Abu-Faraj private Photos and Biography of Farid Mansour.
  6. ↑ The Artist's Autobiography - Courtesy of Oussama Abou Faraj
  7. ↑ Lebanon - The Artist's View 1989 by British Lebanese Association and Sir Hugh Casson
  8. ↑ "A Tribute to Late Leader Kamal Jumblat".
  9. ↑ "Artworks of Farid Mansour -".
  10. ↑ Oussama Mansour Abou Faraj private Photos and Biography of Farid Mansour.
  11. ↑ "ART SURVIVES SHOT AND SHELL TO REACH LONDON". April 20, 1989.
  • "Mansour, Farid", Benezit Dictionary of Artists, Oxford Art Online.
  • Heathcote, Graham (April 20, 1989). "Art Survives Shot And Shell To Reach London". AP News Archive.
  • Dr. Ziad Abu-Faraj private Photos and Biography of Farid Mansour.
  • Michel Fani – Dictionnaire de la Peinture au Liban – Edition de l’escalier 1998
  • Oussama Mansour Abou Faraj, Private Photos and Biography of Farid Mansour
  • Lebanon - The Artist's View 1989 by British Lebanese Association and Sir Hugh Casson


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