# Mohammad Rawas > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Mohammad_Rawas > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Mohammad_Rawas.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohammad_Rawas > Source revision: 1326869751 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Lebanese painter and printmaker}} '''Mohammad Rawas''' or Mohammad El Rawas (born 1951 in [Beirut](/source/Beirut), [Lebanon](/source/Lebanon)) is a Lebanese painter and printmaker. He studied arts at the [Lebanese University](/source/Lebanese_University), then moved to London and studied Printmaking at the [Slade School of Fine Art](/source/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](/source/American_University_of_Beirut).{{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 }} ==Life and work== Rawas began his artistic career with the outbreak of the [Lebanese Civil War](/source/Lebanese_Civil_War). He left the country to [Damascus](/source/Damascus), then to [Morocco](/source/Morocco) before returning to Lebanon and leaving again to pursue his studies in [London](/source/London).{{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 }} 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](/source/Saleh_Barakat) at the [Beirut Art Center](/source/Beirut_Art_Center).{{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 }} 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.{{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 }} His complex artworks widely use reference to popular culture (manga, comics) and old master paintings such as '' [Las Meninas](/source/Las_Meninas)'' by [Diego Velázquez](/source/Diego_Vel%C3%A1zquez).{{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}} 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](/source/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](/source/Abu_Nuwas) related to love and desire within Arab societies.{{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 }} [Magical Realism](/source/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](/source/history_of_art) from Italian renaissance to contemporary art, through haute couture and fashion, comics, architecture and photography.{{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}} ==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.{{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}} 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.{{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}} Later that year, ''A La Recherche Du Temps Perdu'' realized $25,000 with a $25,000 - $35,000 estimate.{{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}} ==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{{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}} *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](/source/Sharjah_Art_Museum), 1996 *Eighteenth Alexandria Biennale, 1993 *First International Print Biennale, Maastricht, 1993 *Liban, Le Regard des Peintres, [Institut du Monde Arabe](/source/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] {{authority control}} {{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 --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Mohammad Rawas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohammad_Rawas) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohammad_Rawas?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.