hey mazen, just wanted to tell you: slowly newspapers here in germany are shifting their focus more and more to the suffering of lebanese people. today two of the biggest and most respected newspapers had big coverage about lebanese bloggers and their perspective on the war... go on man, wish i could send you some energy, you must be very tired from all that horror. best udo
A friend of mine told me about you Mazen... and I must say, you are really brave man! I wish we all could be as brave as you. I wish you all the best!! Take care.. With lots of love Maria -Finland
Thats one of your strongest messages Mazen - adressing what we all feel and want to say if I understand correctly:
"Nasralla, Olmert, Rice, Assad, Achmedinejud & the rest of the unwashed pack please fuck of, take all the religious extremists and heros with you, and let the (by a far shot more cultivated, stylish and modern then anyone of you) Lebanese people decide and create their future for themselves.
WE DONT WANT ANYONE OF YOU HERE - WE DONT LIKE YOUR "HELP" - WE DONT LIKE ANYONE OF YOU - PISS OF - GET LOST - GO HOME!"
The Lebanese people build a Paris out of ash several times - they can do it again - and I want to visit the new Paris soon.
hey boris, yeah it is something like this maybe. i am putting this comment just to say that you forgot mr george bush in your list. i don't want him to feel neglected.
We've got people in the US all over the tv trying to make people think what's going on in Lebanon doesn't matter. Bloody pisses me off. I guess the thing to do is to keep spreading word about what *is* happening, and to try to make people understand that the only reasons they aren't ducking bombs in Beirut right this second is because their parents knocked boots in a different part of the world.
Stay sane, Mazen. War can't last forever. No matter how much the powers that be try to make it so.
I'm an American of Lebanese descent (or dissent, at this point). After listening to and reading the news of the last couple of weeks, seeing pictures of bombed-out bridges and buildings, and hearing the blithe recitation of casualty figures, it seems as if the American media have been missing the worst thing of all: that the two fighting factions have callously put the Lebanese people in their crossfire, as if the people don't matter.
You, Mazen, have voiced this out of the rawness and confusion of your own heart. Your work is powerful and beautiful. I especially loved your "Blue" post.
Take care of yourself. My thoughts are with you -- all of you.
hi, my name is nicole and i am an American Lebanese...my heart is utterly broken.
I support your ideas, and your art. I too am an artist, and a writer, you can see my art at www.thenewmovement.blogspot.com you can see my writing and daily thoughts at www.livejournal.com/users/salha005 and you can email me at nicolesbusiness@hotmail.com
I would really like to be in touch with you, I really like what you are trying to do. I am well connected here in the states, I have a few politicians in my family and I am very involved in protests, talking to government officials, and doing anything to help.
We must not forget that the current "case" Lebanon has nothing to do with Lebanon itself, his politicians, what Lebanon does or does not. Lebenese folks are only the raw material strangled in the middle. Not a bit has the current flagrant agression to do with Lebanon, Israeli overall security or any abducted soldiers as FOX & CNN are pumping in the dumb heads of bible-belt conditioned John-six-pack.
The Israeli army is invading strictly on White-House orders as a USA proxy to prepare for the larger military, political & strategic aim the USA has in the region.
The Lebanese as well as the Israelis are paying now and will pay dearly a unknown price to come.
For the next big thing to "settle" the "Middle East matters" e.g. bully and finally overthrow / invade Iran & Syria to get on the strategic position against the next upcoming enemy China / already in works www.flickr.com/photos/borisvienna/170272498/in/set-721575...
The world stands on the sideline chatting, stunned, not really pleased, shouting support for Israels right of self defend, discussing, appeasing, shocked but otherwise totally impotent.
Lets be clear: We are on the beginning of a catastrophe build upon a disaster.
Sorry Mazen -I could not resist - delete this / my post if appropiate to you - no bad feelings.
Hi Mazen, My name is Shirin.. I have a blog also. In my blog I try to express my feelings and my opinion about the war in Lebanon using my drawings. So... we already have something in common. I invite you to visit my blog. I love your drawings vey much, I think they show the situation in Lebanon for those who aren't there. Keep on.. you are very good at what you do. I hope that with the help of Allah the war will end soon. I am going to add your blog to my favorite blogs, I will appreciate if you do the same. Can't wait to hear your opinion about my blog.
Shirin from Lebanon http://shirin-from-lebanon.blogspot.com/
salut, hi, marhaba... Je me debrouille nettement mieux en francais qu'en anglais, anyway let's try to express myself. So when i went to Lebanon in december, i have been, not only at Gemmayze, Hamra but also at la CDtheque, where i found few of your books. I think that drawings like drama are directly inside reality. So when i saw your books, i bought four of them to offer them here, in Paris. Anyway, i really like what u do..I definitly agree with Boris, you ve put only 2 protagonists in your last draw, but let's not forget the big chief of all, Uncle Sam....And it's a pity to see that people are allways in the middle...What is called this side of the world again????Middle east...........
The internatinal community is busy living. under a lovely sun, outhere in a safe place.
I never really trusted the human race. I think we should be exterminated soon.
There’s so much beauty out there, We are insecure, and greedy, and jealous and we don’t give a fuck. Unless it’s happening to us.
But it’s not happening to US. As long as it’s happening far, it won’t happen in here. Not in my life, the world goes on. And i have a paper to give tomorrow. I have plans, i am disciplined, i am building my future. If i stop now, others will get there before me. The world is not gonna stop turning in 3 days. (Well, i am not sure about that one. Because i believe that everything is possible.)
You go on vacation somewhere. You’re interested by a new culture, a different nature, You take it easy. You have planned it all. In 2 weeks you will come back to your home. You will work on this project, You will call those people, you have new ideas, You are fresh and young, You are happy and strong. I bet a lot of you have one day felt that way.
But if you live in a fucked up country, You might also know that You will wake up one morning, The sun is shinning, you think you can go for a swim today. You open the tv and you can see, your building in rubble. Your country on fire, Screams of help, and hope and anger and pain In your mailbox everyday.
Have a nice happy shinny life all of you. And eat my guilt. I feel ashamed and sorry. But don’t worry, I might as well go to that beautifull bar on the top of a hotel building, Drink 4 champagne bottles with my friends. While i watch Helsinki preparing for the next sunset.
I wonder how Helsinki would look like under some Israeli rockets. With smoke and fire. Like those beautifull, exotic pix we’re getting to see nowadays Of my beautifull destroyed country.
I bet all cities look beautifull from a long shot angle with some smoke effets.
Here in the land of the free, over the last few days, the senate voted, 100 - 0 to condemn hizbollah and say that israel has a right to defend itself.
When saddam hussein used to hold elections and receive 100% of the vote, we would all laugh and laugh...
Then prime minister al-Maliki, of the newly minted government of iraq, came to address a joint session of congress -- which is a very, very BIG honor for him. (an honor that you bearded lebanese artist types will probably never have the privilege in partaking.)
But several congressmen and senators boycotted the address, because they were unhappy with pm al-Maliki. al-Maliki condemned israel for its actions in lebanon, but failed to also, and firstly, condemn hizbollah.
A democratically elected representative of the iraqi people, even though he can't leave the green zone without the escort of an army, at least on this one occasion, accurately expressed the views of his people.
democracy...who knew?
You see… here in the home of the brave, we don't just want puppets...
Dear Mazen! Your work is brilliant! Thank you. Good to know there are people like you out there, never give up! I've linked your blog on my blog, and because I liked it (your blog) so much I even wrote a post encouraging people to read it. Check it (my blog) out if you like, http://acloudintrousers.blogspot.com. Keep up the good work. Who knows, maybe the bloggers will eventually save the world. Ha! We refuse to stay silent!
Hi Mazen I just saw this about you in the Guardian online http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/news/ archives/2006/07/28/the_art_of_war.html Maybe more people will take notice. The politicians are still dancing though. A focus of opposition to this brutality. best P
Thank you, and forgive me for reposting two of your drawings. As many people as possible need to see these and think about these terrible issues. Literature & Society
You have got it exactly right.
ReplyDeleteTake care.
best
Paul
hey mazen,
ReplyDeletejust wanted to tell you: slowly newspapers here in germany are shifting their focus more and more to the suffering of lebanese people. today two of the biggest and most respected newspapers had big coverage about lebanese bloggers and their perspective on the war...
go on man, wish i could send you some energy, you must be very tired from all that horror.
best
udo
A friend of mine told me about you Mazen... and I must say, you are really brave man! I wish we all could be as brave as you. I wish you all the best!! Take care..
ReplyDeleteWith lots of love
Maria
-Finland
Thats one of your strongest messages Mazen - adressing what we all feel and want to say if I understand correctly:
ReplyDelete"Nasralla, Olmert, Rice, Assad, Achmedinejud & the rest of the unwashed pack please fuck of, take all the religious extremists and heros with you, and let the (by a far shot more cultivated, stylish and modern then anyone of you) Lebanese people decide and create their future for themselves.
WE DONT WANT ANYONE OF YOU HERE - WE DONT LIKE YOUR "HELP" - WE DONT LIKE ANYONE OF YOU - PISS OF - GET LOST - GO HOME!"
The Lebanese people build a Paris out of ash several times - they can do it again - and I want to visit the new Paris soon.
If it only would be so simple...
I'm listening to you. You are making such a wonderfull work!! I love your draws.
ReplyDeleteI wish I could hug you.
Love
hey boris,
ReplyDeleteyeah it is something like this maybe. i am putting this comment just to say that you forgot mr george bush in your list. i don't want him to feel neglected.
We've got people in the US all over the tv trying to make people think what's going on in Lebanon doesn't matter. Bloody pisses me off. I guess the thing to do is to keep spreading word about what *is* happening, and to try to make people understand that the only reasons they aren't ducking bombs in Beirut right this second is because their parents knocked boots in a different part of the world.
ReplyDeleteStay sane, Mazen. War can't last forever. No matter how much the powers that be try to make it so.
Right now I'm talking to a Lebanese friend of mine who is in Jounieh and here is what she told me:
ReplyDelete"I used to be sooo naive but now I have started to learn"
Keep on posting Mazen, we still need a globalized resistance!
Greetz from Ankara
I'm an American of Lebanese descent (or dissent, at this point). After listening to and reading the news of the last couple of weeks, seeing pictures of bombed-out bridges and buildings, and hearing the blithe recitation of casualty figures, it seems as if the American media have been missing the worst thing of all: that the two fighting factions have callously put the Lebanese people in their crossfire, as if the people don't matter.
ReplyDeleteYou, Mazen, have voiced this out of the rawness and confusion of your own heart. Your work is powerful and beautiful. I especially loved your "Blue" post.
Take care of yourself. My thoughts are with you -- all of you.
hi, my name is nicole and i am an American Lebanese...my heart is utterly broken.
ReplyDeleteI support your ideas, and your art. I too am an artist, and a writer, you can see my art at
www.thenewmovement.blogspot.com
you can see my writing and daily thoughts at
www.livejournal.com/users/salha005
and you can email me at
nicolesbusiness@hotmail.com
I would really like to be in touch with you, I really like what you are trying to do. I am well connected here in the states, I have a few politicians in my family and I am very involved in protests, talking to government officials, and doing anything to help.
lets keep in touch
nicole salha
you're saying plenty mazen,
ReplyDeletepromise to never shut up.
We must not forget that the current "case" Lebanon has nothing to do with Lebanon itself, his politicians, what Lebanon does or does not.
ReplyDeleteLebenese folks are only the raw material strangled in the middle.
Not a bit has the current flagrant agression to do with Lebanon, Israeli overall security or any abducted soldiers as FOX & CNN are pumping in the dumb heads of bible-belt conditioned John-six-pack.
The Israeli army is invading strictly on White-House orders as a USA proxy to prepare for the larger military, political & strategic aim the USA has in the region.
The Lebanese as well as the Israelis are paying now and will pay dearly a unknown price to come.
For the next big thing to "settle" the "Middle East matters"
e.g. bully and finally overthrow / invade Iran & Syria to get on the strategic position against the next upcoming enemy China / already in works
www.flickr.com/photos/borisvienna/170272498/in/set-721575...
The world stands on the sideline chatting, stunned, not really pleased, shouting support for Israels right of self defend, discussing, appeasing, shocked but otherwise totally impotent.
Lets be clear:
We are on the beginning of a catastrophe build upon a disaster.
Sorry Mazen -I could not resist - delete this / my post if appropiate to you - no bad feelings.
Hi Mazen,
ReplyDeleteMy name is Shirin.. I have a blog also. In my blog I try to express my feelings and my opinion about the war in Lebanon using my drawings. So... we already have something in common. I invite you to visit my blog. I love your drawings vey much, I think they show the situation in Lebanon for those who aren't there.
Keep on.. you are very good at what you do.
I hope that with the help of Allah the war will end soon.
I am going to add your blog to my favorite blogs, I will appreciate if you do the same.
Can't wait to hear your opinion about my blog.
Shirin from Lebanon
http://shirin-from-lebanon.blogspot.com/
salut, hi, marhaba...
ReplyDeleteJe me debrouille nettement mieux en francais qu'en anglais, anyway let's try to express myself.
So when i went to Lebanon in december, i have been, not only at Gemmayze, Hamra but also at la CDtheque, where i found few of your books. I think that drawings like drama are directly inside reality. So when i saw your books, i bought four of them to offer them here, in Paris. Anyway, i really like what u do..I definitly agree with Boris, you ve put only 2 protagonists in your last draw, but let's not forget the big chief of all, Uncle Sam....And it's a pity to see that people are allways in the middle...What is called this side of the world again????Middle east...........
When beards are still entertaining jews...
ReplyDeleteThe internatinal community is busy living.
under a lovely sun, outhere in a safe place.
I never really trusted the human race.
I think we should be exterminated soon.
There’s so much beauty out there,
We are insecure, and greedy, and jealous
and we don’t give a fuck.
Unless it’s happening to us.
But it’s not happening to US.
As long as it’s happening far, it won’t happen in here.
Not in my life, the world goes on.
And i have a paper to give tomorrow.
I have plans, i am disciplined, i am building my future.
If i stop now, others will get there before me.
The world is not gonna stop turning in 3 days.
(Well, i am not sure about that one.
Because i believe that everything is possible.)
You go on vacation somewhere.
You’re interested by a new culture, a different nature,
You take it easy. You have planned it all.
In 2 weeks you will come back to your home.
You will work on this project,
You will call those people, you have new ideas,
You are fresh and young,
You are happy and strong.
I bet a lot of you have one day felt that way.
But if you live in a fucked up country,
You might also know that
You will wake up one morning,
The sun is shinning, you think you can go for a swim today.
You open the tv and you can see, your building in rubble.
Your country on fire,
Screams of help, and hope and anger and pain
In your mailbox everyday.
Have a nice happy shinny life all of you.
And eat my guilt.
I feel ashamed and sorry.
But don’t worry,
I might as well go to that beautifull bar on the top of a hotel building,
Drink 4 champagne bottles with my friends.
While i watch Helsinki preparing for the next sunset.
I wonder how Helsinki would look like under some Israeli rockets.
With smoke and fire. Like those beautifull, exotic pix we’re getting to see nowadays
Of my beautifull destroyed country.
I bet all cities look beautifull from a long shot angle with some smoke effets.
Fuck you all
Here in the land of the free, over the last few days, the senate voted, 100 - 0 to condemn hizbollah and say that israel has a right to defend itself.
ReplyDeleteWhen saddam hussein used to hold elections and receive 100% of the vote, we would all laugh and laugh...
Then prime minister al-Maliki, of the newly minted government of iraq, came to address a joint session of congress -- which is a very, very BIG honor for him. (an honor that you bearded lebanese artist types will probably never have the privilege in partaking.)
But several congressmen and senators boycotted the address, because they were unhappy with pm al-Maliki. al-Maliki condemned israel for its actions in lebanon, but failed to also, and firstly, condemn hizbollah.
A democratically elected representative of the iraqi people, even though he can't leave the green zone without the escort of an army, at least on this one occasion, accurately expressed the views of his people.
democracy...who knew?
You see… here in the home of the brave, we don't just want puppets...
WE WANT PUPPETS WHO DANCE!!!
Dear Mazen!
ReplyDeleteYour work is brilliant! Thank you. Good to know there are people like you out there, never give up! I've linked your blog on my blog, and because I liked it (your blog) so much I even wrote a post encouraging people to read it. Check it (my blog) out if you like, http://acloudintrousers.blogspot.com. Keep up the good work. Who knows, maybe the bloggers will eventually save the world. Ha! We refuse to stay silent!
All the best,
silje (norway)
Hi Mazen
ReplyDeleteI just saw this about you in the Guardian online
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/news/
archives/2006/07/28/the_art_of_war.html
Maybe more people will take notice.
The politicians are still dancing though.
A focus of opposition to this brutality.
best
P
Thank you, and forgive me for reposting two of your drawings. As many people as possible need to see these and think about these terrible issues. Literature & Society
ReplyDeletei like your work. keep it up. it's valuable, useful, and it communicates differently than anything else i'm seeing right now. i linked to this one.
ReplyDelete