Life without art is mere darkness
Arleb by Nabad interviews visual artist Olga Safa whose journey of self discovery and healing has been her muse. From self-reflection to self-love, Safa has expressed different phases of her journey on her canvas, hoping to inspire others to let go of their wounds and embrace their authentic selves.
Arleb by Nabad – What is your background?
Olga Safa – I have studied Computer and Communications Engineering and I hold a Master’s degree in Business Administration. I have been painting since I was a child and my hobbies include music and dancing. I am a passionate Argentine Tango dancer and I love all forms of dance. I have a passion for creativity and creative expression and I love teaching art and creative thinking. I meditate and I am fascinated by the spiritual world and everything that is mystical and mysterious.
Arleb by Nabad – What is the experience that has influenced your work the most?
Olga Safa – My work has always been a reflection of the innermost parts of my soul. In my everlasting search within, I have sought to express on the outside what I was feeling inside. In the beginning, it was my passion for dancing that was strongly prominent in my drawings. There were times where I was not able to dance, so I used the canvas as my dance floor, coloring every step and every beat on the canvas with vivid passionate colors. Dancing always was and always will be a big part of my paintings, in one form or another. In the past 10 years, I have been on a spiritual self-healing journey that left its marks on my life and my art. I went through many struggles that turned my world upside down, including a divorce and healing childhood traumas. My dream is to use my artwork to empower women who are undergoing similar struggles and help them see the light at the end of the tunnel, to cheer them up on their journey and light their path. I want my paintings to remind them that they are not alone and that they are more powerful than they think they are. I would like my paintings to inspire others to rise above the hardships, to bring joy and happiness into their lives, and to awaken their minds to new possibilities. We are all witnessing a huge shift in consciousness and my aim is to reflect that in my art.
Arleb by Nabad – Which subjects or themes are you working on?
Olga Safa – Spirituality and self-empowerment. Higher consciousness.
Arleb by Nabad – What is your creative process like?
Olga Safa – I get an inspiration and an urge to express it on the canvas. I usually do some research and then I head to the canvas. Then I allow whatever comes through, which sometimes is very different from the initial idea that I started with.
Arleb by Nabad – What was the impact of the Beirut port explosions (August 4, 2020) on your work as an artist/creative enterprise?
Olga Safa – The Beirut explosion inspired me to paint “Beirut Rise and Heal” and “Window of Hope“.
Arleb by Nabad – What are, according to you, the roles of arts and culture in social, economic, environmental or political change?
Olga Safa – Arts are a key player in cultural, economic, environmental and political change. Arts, in general, and visual arts in particular, express concepts and ideas that otherwise are hard to express. They serve to immortalize events and situations and show them in new perspectives. The arts are the ultimate expression of freedom or lack thereof. The Renaissance, that came after the dark ages, is the ultimate example of the impact that art can bring to humanity. Art brings hope, joy, happiness and meaning to life. Life without art is colorless; life without art is mere darkness. Art provides a space for healing, a space for possibilities, a space for hope. And without hope, there is no life. In order for change to happen, there needs to be motivation and inspiration. Therefore, art is a catalyst of change, whether political, or other.
Arleb by Nabad – What are, according to you, the main challenges/obstacles facing artists/creative enterprises in Lebanon nowadays?
Olga Safa – Challenges facing artists in Lebanon are many. On one side, the art supplies are very expensive which is a major challenge for creating artworks or art related events and classes. On the other side, the majority of people are facing economic and financial difficulties. When people are in survival mode, their main focus is on the basics: food and shelter. Art becomes a luxury which cannot be afforded. Even if arts provide psychological well-being and therapeutic venues of expression and healing, if people cannot afford food, how can they afford art?