Arleb by Nabad interviews young artist Khoder El Hajj Hassan who started his artistic career at age 17/18 by selling portrait drawings and by working as an actor in commercials and in theater plays. He currently makes oil and acrylic paintings, drawings, and publishes his artworks on patreon for support. Most of his artworks were made in Denmark and express specific social messages, or simply depict nature and beauty.

Arleb by Nabad – Tell us about your background.

Khoder El Hajj Hassan – I graduated from school but dropped out of university when I was studying computer sciences. I started to work in the arts field while in university, mainly by acting and selling portrait drawings and paintings. It’s been three years!

Arleb by Nabad – What is the experience that has influenced your work the most? 

Khoder El Hajj Hassan – A trip to Europe, exploring the issues of immigration, human rights, and experiencing various art forms in theaters and with other artists.

Arleb by Nabad – Which subjects or themes are you working on?

Khoder El Hajj Hassan – Environment, immigration, sociological and psychology-related issues, and of course Lebanon.

Arleb by Nabad – What is your creative process like? 

Khoder El Hajj Hassan – I usually choose a theme or a person to draw every week, and once decided, the making process takes approximately 2 days. I work from time to time on a bigger piece of art such as a large painting depending on the financial means.

Arleb by Nabad – What was the impact of the Beirut port explosions (August 4, 2020) on your work as an artist/creative enterprise? 

Khoder El Hajj Hassan – Loss of stability and decrease in my income. I had to move to the village, mentally confused about future options.

Arleb by Nabad – What are, according to you, the roles of arts and culture in social, economic, environmental or political change?

Khoder El Hajj Hassan – Arts are the means to make a cause reach the emotional part of humans. They awaken their compassion and motivation to make a change. They revive lost hopes and dreams.

Arleb by Nabad – What are, according to you, the main challenges/obstacles facing artists/creative enterprises in Lebanon nowadays? 

Khoder El Hajj Hassan – I think we have so many causes to work on as artists, so many messages to deliver, but the instability of the economy makes people ignore sometimes if not often the arts, which limits artists from devoting their efforts and time into making the best pieces of art they can make. In the past or in some other countries, when there is stability, artists take much more time on a single piece of art, without the worry of needing to make money to survive another month.

CHECK OUT KHODER EL HAJJ HASSAN PROFILE AND ARTWORKS FOR SALE ON ARLEB.