{{Short description|Lebanese painter and printmaker}} '''Mohammad Rawas''' or Mohammad El Rawas (born 1951 in Beirut, Lebanon) is a Lebanese painter and printmaker. He studied arts at the Lebanese University, then moved to London and studied Printmaking at the Slade School of Fine Art. He currently lives and works in Beirut, where he taught at the Lebanese University and the American University of Beirut.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.beirutexhibitioncenter.com/learn/artist/mohammad-el-rawas |title= MRAWAS (EL) MOHAMMAD EXHIBITS AT BEIRUT EXHIBITION CENTER |author= |publisher= Beirut Exhibition Center |accessdate= 25 February 2012 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180321203136/http://www.beirutexhibitioncenter.com/learn/artist/mohammad-el-rawas |archive-date= 21 March 2018 |url-status= dead }}</ref>
==Life and work== Rawas began his artistic career with the outbreak of the Lebanese Civil War. He left the country to Damascus, then to Morocco before returning to Lebanon and leaving again to pursue his studies in London.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.qcontemporary.com/Gallery/News/Thumbnails/-5548Press%20Release-Digital%20Age.pdf |title=Q Calling the Shots Vol. 3 – The Digital Age. |author= |date=5 May 2011 |publisher=Q Contemporary |accessdate=25 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131225103332/http://www.qcontemporary.com/Gallery/News/Thumbnails/-5548Press%20Release-Digital%20Age.pdf |archive-date=25 December 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> During the late 1970s and early 1980s he produced a body of prints related to the war and to violence in general. These works were presented at several exhibitions, including “The Road to Peace”, curated by Saleh Barakat at the Beirut Art Center.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.beirutartcenter.org/exhibitions.php?exhibid=34&statusid=3 |title=The Road to Peace |author= |year=2009 |publisher=Beirut Art Center |accessdate=18 February 2012 |archive-date=25 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225163322/http://www.beirutartcenter.org/exhibitions.php?exhibid=34&statusid=3%20 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
From the 1980s and 1990s, Rawas developed a painting practice based on constructions with balsa wood, aluminum and string meticulously built up over portions of canvas.<ref>{{cite news |title=Art history, pop culture, political violence and religious texts - Mohamed Rawas' latest exhibition in Beirut cracks them all open for creative meddling and artistic debate |author=Kaelen Wilson Goldie |url=http://onefineart.com/en/artists/mohammad-rawas/ |newspaper=The Daily Star |year=2004 |accessdate=24 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170208045000/http://onefineart.com/en/artists/mohammad-rawas/ |archive-date=8 February 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref> His complex artworks widely use reference to popular culture (manga, comics) and old master paintings such as '' Las Meninas'' by Diego Velázquez.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://fares-sassine.blogspot.com/2011/10/faiseur-de-realites.html |title=Faiseur de réalités |author=Fares Sassine |date= 23 October 2011 |publisher=Assassines |accessdate=25 February 2012}}</ref> In 2013 El Rawas abandons painting to work on creating a series of three-dimensional constructions using multiple materials and techniques. In his latest artistic phase, he goes back to two-dimensional paintings.
For the 2007 Alexandria Biennale, Rawas produced his first installation: ''Sit Down, Please''. The artwork is a multimedia device inspired by a quote from 8th century poet Abu Nuwas related to love and desire within Arab societies.<ref>{{cite news |title=Modern Art. From Abu Nuwas to iPad |author=Kaelen Wilson Goldie |url=http://www.artsawa.com/files/press/47/sub141/gallery/dailystar.com.lb-Rawas.pdf |newspaper=The Daily Star |date=12 May 2011 |accessdate=24 February 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131225152408/http://www.artsawa.com/files/press/47/sub141/gallery/dailystar.com.lb-Rawas.pdf |archivedate=25 December 2013 }} </ref>
Magical Realism is what best describes El Rawas’ complex constructions. Each one of his compositions is a layered assemblage of objects and techniques, ideas and references. He borrows, modifies, alters, copies, pastes, reinterprets and decontextualizes objects and concepts he finds in the history of art from Italian renaissance to contemporary art, through haute couture and fashion, comics, architecture and photography.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.stroobia.com/2016/06/mohammad-el-rawas-comfortable-discomfort.html |title=Mohammad El Rawas: A Comfortable Discomfort |author=Camille Ammoun |year=2016 |publisher=Stroobia |accessdate=9 June 2016}}</ref>
==Auctions==
In October 2008, a painting from 1974, ''Souk El-Franj, Bab Idriss (Beirut Vegetable Market)'', was presented with a $40,000 - $60,000 estimate and hammered for $56,250.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/lot_details.aspx?from=searchresults&intObjectID=5132292&sid=c5a3e929-b70c-46bf-a84f-3063d357393a |title= International Modern and Contemporary Art |author= |date= 30 October 2008 |publisher=Christies |accessdate=25 February 2012}} </ref> The mixed media work ''One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest'' was proposed in April 2011 for $25,000 - $30,000 and sold for $42,500.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/lot_details.aspx?intObjectID=5422890 |title= Modern and Contemporary Arab, Iranian and Turkish Art |author= |date= 19 April 2011 |publisher=Christies |accessdate=25 February 2012}} </ref> Later that year, ''A La Recherche Du Temps Perdu'' realized $25,000 with a $25,000 - $35,000 estimate.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/mohammad-el-rawas-a-la-recherche-du/5486814/lot/lot_details.aspx?from=searchresults&pos=4&intObjectID=5486814&sid=c5a3e929-b70c-46bf-a84f-3063d357393a&page=1 |title= Modern and Contemporary Arab, Iranian and Turkish Art Part II |author= |date= 26 October 2011 |publisher=Christies |accessdate=25 February 2012}} </ref>
==Awards== *Prize of the 24th Alexandria Biennale of the Mediterranean Countries. Alexandria, Egypt. *Honorable Mention at the Ninth Norwegian International Print Triennale, Fredrikstad, Norway, 1989 *Prize of Honor, Cabo Frio International Print Biennale, Brazil, 1985 * Third Prize at The First Contemporary Arab Art Exhibition, Centre d'Art Vivant de la Ville de Tunis, Tunisia, 1984 *Honorable Mention, Third World Biennale of Graphic Art, Iraqi Cultural Center, London, 1980
==Publications== * Maker of Realities (with Antoine Boulad, 2011) * The Art of Rawas, (Saqi Books, 2004) * M. El Rawas (Antoine Boulad, Platform Gallery, 1991)
==Exhibitions== ===Solo exhibitions=== *Saleh Barakat Gallery, Beirut, 2019 *Agial Art Gallery, Beirut, 2016 *Art Sawa Gallery, Dubai, 2010 *Aida Cherfan Fine Art, Beirut, 2007 *Janine Rubeiz Gallery, Beirut, 2004 *Janine Rubeiz Gallery, Beirut, 2000 *Janine Rubeiz Gallery, Beirut, 1997 *Janine Rubeiz Gallery, Beirut, 1995 *Platform Gallery, Beirut, 1991 *Kufa Gallery, London, 1990 *Rencontre Art Gallery, Beirut, 1979
===Group exhibitions=== * Art from Lebanon, Beirut Exhibition Center, 2012<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.beirutexhibitioncenter.com/exhibitions/art-lebanon |title=Art From Lebanon |last1= |first1= |last2= |first2= |date= |publisher=Beirut Exhibition Center |accessdate=20 December 2012}}</ref> *Q Calling the Shots, vol 3. The Digital Age, Q Contemporary, Beirut, 2011 * Rebirth, Lebanon 21st Century Contemporary Art, Beirut Exhibition Art Center, Beirut, 2011 *Convergence, New Art from Lebanon, The American University Museum, Katzen Arts Center, Washington DC, 2010 *The Road to Peace, Painting in times of war. 1975-1991 Beirut Art Center, Beirut, 2009 *Virtuellement réel: Reflection, in contemporary painting and photography. Alice Mogabgab Gallery, Beirut, 2009 *The Responsive Hand, Drawings 1, Maqam Gallery, Beirut, 2009 *24th Alexandria Biennale of the Mediterranean Countries. Alexandria, 2007 *Word into Art, Artists of the Modern Middle East. The British Museum, London, 2006 *First Beijing International Art Biennale, 2003 *Tokyo Mini Print Biennale, 2002 *Ninth International Graphic Artists, Trondheim Art Center, Trondheim, 1998 *Eighth Asian Art Biennale, Dacca, 1997 *Kraków International Print Triennale, 1997 *Contemporary Lebanese Artists, Sharjah Art Museum, 1996 *Eighteenth Alexandria Biennale, 1993 *First International Print Biennale, Maastricht, 1993 *Liban, Le Regard des Peintres, Institut du Monde Arabe, Paris, 1989 *Lebanon, The Artist's View, Concourse Gallery, Barbican Center, 1989 *Ninth Norwegian International Print Triennale, Fredrikstad, Norway, 1989 *Presence de la Gravure, Centre d'Art Vivant de la Ville de Tunis, 1988 *Contemporary Lebanese Artists, Kufa Gallery, London, 1988 *Contemporary Arab Art, The Mall Galleries, London, 1986 *Cabo Frio International Print Biennale, Brazil, 1985 *Slade Folio Show, Greenwich Theatre Art Gallery, London, 1981
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.elrawas.net/ Website of Mohammad Rawas] *[https://archive.today/20130123150848/http://www.galeriejaninerubeiz.com/pages/collection.php?lang=en&id=24 Mohammad Rawas at Galerie Janine Rubeiz]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Rawas, Mohammad}} Category:Lebanese painters Category:Artists from Beirut Category:1951 births Category:Living people Category:Lebanese University alumni Category:Academic staff of Lebanese University Category:Academic staff of the American University of Beirut Category:Alumni of the Slade School of Fine Art Category:Lebanese emigrants to Syria Category:Lebanese contemporary artists