lenakyropoulos@gmail.com
The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.
― Aristotle
With this famous quote we will start our tody interview with the President of Peace and Candle Association , Mrs, Lina Rezek. Because of this we will visit a beautiful theatre in Damascus, Syria. Follow me please.
First of all I would like to welcome you here in P.E.R.S.O.N.A.L.I.T.I.E.S and to ask you directly Mrs. Lina Rizk…who is the heart and the soul of this project…From whom were you inspired of?
Thank you very much for your invitation Mrs. Kyropoulos and to offer to us the opportunity to speak about art and the human connectivity, especially during the pandemic period .It was a cooperation between me and our PR spokesperson, the artist Raaft Alshaabani.
Of course as the president of the organization I was the organizer and the coordinator for all the work details and there was a group of members of the organization helping me creating the invitations. There was also an international committee comprised of veteran artists who judged the submitted art and accepted or denied them and replaced them with different ones. The task for collecting coordinators from all over the world was done by our PR spokespersonartist, Mr.Raafat Al-Shabani. As for the task of receiving the art work and distributing other tasks and controlling every aspect of the job was my personal duty. I was also in charge of sending out personal invitations to the artists to join our exhibition.
Lina Rizk/Rezek: The Director of the Peace Candles Association
When everything started with the Peace Candles AssociationMrs. Rizk?
Peace Candles Association …is a real beautiful human story. The dvertising decision 1701 dated 7/25/2017. After the successive successes and the various activities provided by the Candles of Peace Association over successive years in which it made its own mark that it left in several places and governorates of Syria, inside and outside Syria. It is pleased to be the first and announces the launch of the Elixir exhibition from Damascus / Syria, with the participation of artists from all over the world, on February 18, 2021 … an important event that sees light on the Arab and international levels. And since each of his names has a share, the Candles of Peace Association puts its mark again to focus on the sublime meanings in spreading the message of love, peace and creativity.
I consider because of the Covid-19 you desided not to postpone the Exhibition but to make it happen virtualy.
Because of the new Corona epidemic that prevented us from holding real-life exhibitions, we remained determined to continue our activities, and we launched the Elixir International Exhibition, which is an electronic exhibition for fine art and a global platform for artistic creativity and a lush avenue where fine art artists meet and exchange experiences and artistic experiences through which the creators of the world shake hands under the banner of love, peace and creativity and fraternity.
What is your main goal Mrs. Lina Rizk?
Our main goal is to hold a great cultural event once again. We add to our achievements a new success documented by the best local and international artists to present the latest trends in contemporary art. Together to transform Damascus into a cultural reference point and a hot spot of contemporary international artistic activity. The exhibition will take place in the Arab Cultural Center Theater in Kafarsouseh.
Arab Cultural Center Theater in Kafarsouseh.
The exhibition (Elixir) is to open the field and opportunity to artists, under their desire, and pushed forward by of official bodies and all connoisseurs of colors and painting, and it confirms that art is the elixir of life and the only substance that gives life its true flavor and colors. Where the audience will be able to see works of a special character and a magical view subject to the upscale taste of the performance of these great artists on the stage of the Arab Cultural Center Theater in Kafarsouseh in the city of Damascus – Syria with a distinctive presentation on a huge screen within a distinctive artistic ceremony in which all kinds of arts of music, singing, poetry and folk dance meet To complement the arts with each other to produce a distinctive artwork, which is the Elixir International Exhibition.
Beautiful people are smiling with their eyes…So proud of the team -work spirit
How many artist are going to participate?
We are pleased to have more than 1000 local and international artists present in Damascus as friends and followers, and to have with us a large group of countries that share this wonderful initiative from Arab countries (Algeria – Egypt – Lebanon – Jordan – Palestine – Morocco – Tunisia – Yemen – Kuwait) and various countries From around the world (Uruguay – Argentina – Bangladesh – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Serbia – Burundi – Colombia – Dominican – Ecuador – France – Greece – India – Uganda – Panama – Philippines – Ronda – El Salvador – Spain – Taiwan – Turkey – Venezuela – Switzerland – Zimbabwe – Cyprus Honduras).
We are pleased to be among the artists of the world who seek to hold international exhibitions because we believe that art is the bridge that unites the peoples of the world to love and peace … Art is the main motive for spreading Arab and international cultures among us. We will be on time to hold virtual and realistic international exhibitions whenever possible.
Many thanks to all the coordinators who contributed and helped in the coordination of the exhibition from their countries, with all respect and appreciation to all, and I thank everyone who made an effort to help in organizing the exhibition, and especially thanks to the public relations official at the Peace Candles Association, artist Raafat Al-Shabani, for his great efforts in coordination and the success of the exhibition and ofcourse to the Greek Co-ordinator, Mrs. Irene Doura- Kavadia .
So what will happen today and where it will take place?
All the works of the participating artists from all over the world will be displayed on a large screen in a cinematic display in a distinguished ceremony that includes many poetic, musical and folk arts events. The show continues for a week on social media, on the association’s pages and on websites.- At the end of the show, Peace Candles Association provides a notarized diploma to all participating artists.
Why did you choose the Greek origin word Elixir? (Elixirio in Greek) ?
Elixir or in English (Elixir) is that mythical substance that was and still is the obsession of those looking for wealth or those looking for immortality alike. The ancients always believed that if thrown on cheap metal, elixir would turn into gold. Also, the legendary drug guarantees eternal life to its drinker or eternal youth. And what in this life is more close to this concept of art and creativity? Wasn’t it the artists’ fingertips that turned paper and a few inexpensive colors into precious paintings whose value increases with the passage of time? Was it not creativity that made of the deaf stone a sculpture that almost uttered the intensity of its mastery after the artist had put in it all his feelings and feelings? Art is also the elixir of life that immortalized Da Vinci, Raphael, Angelo and many others whom art gave eternity in the consciousness of human civilization.
Why “NOW” during the pandemic is so important for humanity to resist through art? Is life stronger than pain?
Of course, it is a kind of resistance by means of art, because otherwise, life will stop completely, no kind of cultural activities will continue, and we will succumb to the Corona epidemic, and thus will eliminate all forms of life. Therefore, we must continue despite all circumstances.
What is the secret for a successful International Art Exhibition?
To play for the team…Apropo, I would like also to say in English but in Arab too.
The family of the Candles of Peace Association extends its thanks to the artist, Raafat Al-Shabani, the Public Relations Officer at the association, for his contribution in organizing the International Elixir exhibition and coordinating it with curators from outside Syria.
All respect and appreciation to you, and a certificate of appreciation has been awarded to him as a token of thanks and loyalty.
سرة جمعية شموع السلام تتقدم بالشكر للفنان رأفت الشبعاني مسؤول العلاقات العامة في الجمعية لمساهمته في تنظيم معرض إكسير العالمي وتنسيقه مع المنسقين الفنانين من خارج سورية.
كل الاحترام والتقدير لكم وقد منحت له شهادة التقدير عربون شكر ووفاء.
We really wish you all the best for today and lot of success!!!
With best wishes for luck and success for everyone Mrs Kyropoulos
We started with a nice art quote and we will close exactly the same.
Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.
― Pablo Picasso
and always remember…I can not do it we can do it…prefer to play for the team!
Love,
Lena Kyropoulos
