KATANANI ABDUL RAHMAN
Beirut-born Palestinian artist Abdul Rahman Katanani’s work intensely depicts the tragedy of his fellow Palestinian refugees, yet never delivers evidently sad or depressing messages. Katanani uses found objects gathered in the camps, such as tin, cardboard, bottle caps, old clothes and utensils as material to create wall sculptures that become realistic and vivid portrayals of the camps’ often contradictory emotions. One is made to feel the camps’ suffering and endurance, hopelessness and hopefulness, pain and happiness, along with the nostalgic feelings for a beloved homeland.
Katanani has been exhibiting in caricature and art shows in Beirut, Paris and Kuala Lumpur since 2001. He was twice awarded prizes by the Sursock Museum at the occasion of their Salon d’Automne: in 2009, the Young Artist Prize and in 2008 a Special Mention of the jury.
He is currently pursuing a Master of Fine Arts at the Lebanese University
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