Arleb by Nabad interviews Diane Audi, a self-taught artist who produces mostly abstract and contemporary artworks.

Arleb by Nabad – Tell us about your background.

Diane Audi – Although I’ve always been passionate about art since a very young age, I chose to complete my BA degree and Master of Research in History and International relations. I then worked in the academic and environmental fields for seven years, all the while keeping art as my biggest passion and hobby. 

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

Diane Audi – My journey of self-discovery is what influenced me the most in my art practice, in the latest years. It allowed me to dive deeper into expressionism and portray aspects of my life that I was not able to share previously. Aside from that, discovering other artists’ work has always been very enriching for me. I get very inspired by exploring art in all forms. 

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

Diane Audi – By nature, I love to explore and experiment. This is also visible through my art as I try different techniques, styles, and mediums. However,  my paintings mostly depict self-discovery and the interpersonal journey. They also explore the complexity of relationships with others.

Arleb by Nabad – What is your creative process like? 

Diane Audi – My creative process shifts between two extremes. The first is me just taking a canvas and paint, and simply letting my mind or my hands take control as they channel my thoughts unconsciously. The other extreme involves me looking for a lot of inspiration before painting. I would normally look for pictures and paintings related to an idea that I have. Looking at all these photos that I’ve collected, I kind of let my mind identify the parts of the paintings that I like, and stick them all together to generate something that I would like to create. 

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

Diane Audi – Since the Beirut port explosion, I have not painted. Right after the blast, I had a lot of images come to mind that I would have wanted to paint. However, the trauma and pain were too strong. On one hand, I could not paint and I was so immersed in the moment and the events happening. On the other hand, as much as these events and pain bore their marks on the city of Beirut, and on people’s souls, I did not want to immortalize further the pain. I did not want to turn the pain into a painting, I simply wanted it to disappear, and forget it, just like all Lebanese went on to fix and repair the damages that had happened. 

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

Diane Audi –  Having a background in history and international relations, I understand the importance of arts and culture in social, economic, environmental, and political change primarily to convey a message to the masses. Art can be a powerful tool to communicate, and eventually lead to change through the awareness that it instills, the messages it conveys, and so on. 

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

Diane Audi – In the midst of the various crises that we keep on facing in Lebanon, art is not given the importance that it deserves, though there is a vibrant art scene and huge potential. We are focused on challenges and obstacles that we face in our daily lives, mainly political and financial, and put aside art and culture.

CHECK OUT DIANE AUDI PROFILE AND ARTWORKS FOR SALE ON ARLEB.