EXPRESSIONS: A PROTEST AGAINST WAR

The works of Nabil Kanso in the exhibition "Expresiones" reveal grand compositions transmitting apocalyptic images of the palpable reality of a world where pain, suffering, brutality and destruction are everywhere. The paintings explode on canvas with highly concentrated images charged with eruptive broad brushstrokes and intense rendering of colors, forms and textures.

The paintings project experiences, sensations and visions that convey the inner reality of the subject matter and provide a powerful indictment and denunciation of wars in the Middle East and Central America. Hence the mural-scale format of works that envelop an enormous space in projecting compelling scenes of human brutality and suffering as a consequence of of war.

The works surrounding the viewer reflect a powerful demonstration of anguish and opposition to war and the destruction, devastation and disaster they are inflicting on the world.

Spectral figures appear charging amid blazing flame-like forms investing the space with hints of dismay stressing the immediacy and realities of war and the forces at work.

The works on display at the Sala Arraga of the Secreteria de Cultura provide the framework for these expressions and apocalyptic visions.

Panorama
April 14, 1985
Maracaibo

 

 

EXPRESSION OF TERROR

Figures that appear in extreme pain and terror amid scenes of chaos and destruction are characteristics of Nabil Kanso works in the exhibition "Expression at the Arraga Gallery of the Ministry of Culture.

He has a highly personal and expressionist style embodying dramatic intense color treatment and apocalyptic vision. He earlier figurative works evolved to a more aggressive figurative expressionism reflecting his experience in the Lebanon war. "I express in my paintings that misery resulting from violence and terror that cannot be ignored," he says.

"The imageries reveal a vast content in the interpersonal relationship of peoples doomed by the ravages of war.

The represented antagonisms of men provide a thesis, antithesis, a discussion, a dialogue, a cultural activity of a critical crisis in current political, social and cultural events and development.

A. S. R.
Critica, April 17, 1985
Maracaibo

Nabil Kanso: Expressions

The exhibition "Expressions" by Nabil Kanso is a reflection of the artist anguish, a demonstration against war and the horror suffered by the world. Hence the mural-scale of his paintings with their power and vision of thematic content and technical composition employing aggressive brushstrokes in the rendering of dense layers of strong colors like red and orange interacting with brown, black and blue.

His style is expressionistic dealing with current world chaos and war employing aggressive broad brushstrokes and dramatic tense colors. His vision is apocalyptic, "I express in my paintings this misery, the result of never ending terror and war inflicting terrible destruction, devastation and suffering that cannot be ignored" he says.

The intensity of the images surrounds you with a heavy content of human relationships in a stifled society that seems doomed by the consequences of war. Man’s anguish and antagonism are weaved into the fabric of the paintings in a thesis and antithesis which provides a discussion, a dialogue, an activity whose end objectives beating unpredictable objective and end can only be sustained by an art manifesting a critique of the current political, social and cultural events and development.

The fleeing figures and ghostly faces of horsemen charging amid scenes ablaze with flame-like forms appear close to our present reality, an encounter with the unconscious of the human soul of our planet asking questions and providing, answers, disclaimers and confirmations by warriors of evolution, which is held within the grip of a destructive hypocritical pacifist outlook reflecting a selfishness defined as a just cause in man’s propagation of war.

Nabil's art expresses and communicates in a dynamic full of emotional energy, a profound internalization in its pictorial and historical movement of a great content that reaffirms the apocalyptic images of the destruction, the flight and emigration of entire people, a generation that may be regenerated in "absolute" peace or an apocalyptic destruction.

I.

Rossi
Panorama
17 April, 1985
Maracaibo

 

Nabil Kanso Expressions

Kanso’s intense and at times grim and macabre works contain interpersonal relationships between the members a stifled society doomed by war.

The antagonisms of men present themselves in a thesis and antithesis that provide a dialogue, a discussion, an activity of pulsating and unpredictable targets that can only be conveyed in a message of art reflecting the critical crisis of the current cultural, social and political development.

The tones of oranges, yellows, browns bring out the lights of dawn and dusk, the release of man on the cross, freedom, redemption, peace, justice, silence, nothingness, meditation, war.

We are the men, the expectation, the uncertain future, we are part of the pictorial work of Nabil Kanso, we echo the complaint and protest of his paintings, and we must be part of their commitment.

Panorama
15 April, 1985
Maracaibo

LA OBRA DE NABIL KANSO

Son los rostros fantasmagóricos y jinetes apocalipticos que huyen ó es acercan a nuestra realidad actual, un encuentro a la inconciencia del alma humana, de nuestro planetas, respuestas, efirmaciones y negaciones de una evolución guerrera, destructive que se sostiene en una hipocresía pacifista, reflejo de un egoismo que encuentra una definición, una causa justa, en la perfección de ser hombre.

Es la imperfección que impone valores en nuevo orden moral, un holocausto de los paises árabes hoy; ayer de los judios al encuentro de su soledad, su independencia, la restauración de una Institutción.

El arte de Nabil Kanso se expresa y comunica en una dinamicá emocional cargada de energía, es su sentir, una interiorización que profondiza sus movimientos pictóricos e históricos en un gran contenido que reafirma la imágen diabólico de la destrucción, la huida, la emigración de pueblos enteros para otros lugares; una generación que tal vez se regenera en una paz "absoluta" ó una destrucción apocalíptica.

Sus obras lúgubres y a vaces macabras encierran un contenido de las relaciones interhumanas en una sociedad que amordazada, está condenada a morir. La guerra.

Son los antagonismos de los hombres, que se hacen presentes en las telas de Nabil Kanso, en una tesis y antetesis que proporciona un discussion, un diálogo, una actividad palpitante cuye final y objetivos imprevisibles solo se sostienen en un mensaje del arte, una crisis en una crítica actual, pólitica, social y cultural.

Los seines, los anaranjados, los amarillos, los grises, las luces de atardecer, de aurora; redención, libertad, el hombre se libera en la cruz, paz de violencia, solo paz, el silencio, la nada, la meditación.

Somos los hombres la espectativa del presente, la angustia del mañana, somos parte de la obra pictórica de Nabil Kanso, somos el eco de su denuncia plástica y debemos ser parte de su compromiso.

Panorama, Maracaibo, 14 de abril de 1985

 

La Secretaría de Cultura inauguró la exposición de Nabil Kanso "Expresiones" que es una protesta a las guerras y a la violencia que impera en el mundo.

La obra de Nabil Kanso es una demonstración de toda la angustia del hombre de su rechazo a las guerras del Medio Oriente y Centroamérica, del horror que sufre el mundo, de allí sus grandes formatos con colores fuertes como el rojo, el negro, azul, marron y gris.

Su estilo esta marcado en el arte expresionismo con una tratamiento dramatico del color. Su vision es un tanto apocalíptico. "Yo expresso en mis lienzos esta miseria, producto de la violencia que no podemos ignorar. La guerra es una sola que se desarolla en el mundo", afirma.

Sus obras lúgubres y a veces macabras, encieran el contenido de las relaciones humanas en una sociedad que amordaza, que esta condenada a morir. Son los antagonismos que se hacen presentes en las telas de Nabil Kanso. En una tesis y antítesis que proporciona una discusión, un dialogo, una actividad palpitante cuyo final objectivos imprevisibles sólo se sustiene en un mensaje del arte, una critica actual, politica, social y cultural.

Panorama, Maracaibo, 15 de abril de 1985