08 September 2010
TRIPOLI: Driving along the Tripoli-Akkar Highway, people are sure to spot many billboards and banners filled with bright colors and images.
However, other works of art might be more difficult to spot, but might also be more original and inspiring.
Gathered under a small wooden cabin on the side of the highway, dozens of sea-shell sculptures flicker and shine in the sun, reminding those who took the time to stop on the very nearby sea.
Adel Khaled is the man responsible for the original works and he has dedicated more than six years of his life to an art that has just recently started to become popular.
Driven by his love for the sea and maritime life, Khaled, who is better known as Abu Fadi, spends all his free time making and selling sculptures and decorative items made from sea shells and sand.
“The sea is so large and has so many sea shells in it. People can make good use of them,” he says, adding that his experience now allows him to make a model of a ship in less than two days. Vases, models of mosques, churches, cedar trees and other artifacts can also be found in Khaled’s workshop.
The originality of Khaled’s work may not yet be recognized by many people, but the artist is starting to acquire a loyal clientele.
“I’m receiving requests and commands from people who want to use my work as decoration items for their homes or offices in the north as well as in Beirut. One particular customer buys a sculpture every week,” he says, adding that he has no problem with customers selling his work afterward. “Good for them,” he jokingly shares.
Khaled discovered the possibilities of sea shell art when he was working at a restaurant on the beach in the northern town of Minieh. He had to constantly walk on the beach and he grew more and more interested in sand, rocks and sea shells. His first artistic attempts were drawing in the sand and then placing sea shells on the marked lines.
Khaled later moved on to gluing sea shells on cardboards and creating shapes and sculptures with materials gathered from the sea. His first art work was a representation of a mosque and it grabbed the attention of a customer who requested more similar pieces.
Khaled now works at a tin factory and is constantly struggling to make ends meet. His wife helps him with his handmade artifacts but the money they earn is still limited. “Even though the profit I make is scarce it helps me to live … I hope one day I can make enough to live off selling my sculptures,” he says.
Khaled receives help from his friends but has still not been able to become completely dependent on his artwork. He has gotten several offers to participate in exhibitions but was obliged to reject the propositions because he had no means to transport his sculptures safely.
He also complains that art is becoming rarer to find, as official authorities are doing little to promote handmade and less conventional products. “All I can hope for is to stay in good health and for people to get acquainted with this type of art,” Khaled says.
Copyright The Daily Star 2010.
