 The Khalil Sakakini Cultural Centre is pleased to present the second local exhibit by one of the most prominent contemporary Arab visual artists, Rachid Koraichi. This work, entitled Qassidat Beirut is a gift from the artist to the permanent collection of our Centre. This work gives a visual representation to the Darwish "Ode to Beirut" and its spirit, written in 1980 and published in 1984 in the poetry collection "Praise of the High Shadow". Rachid Koraichi is one of a handful of Arab artists to have achieved international recognition. Popular Arab visual heritage (talismans, calligraphy, nature) and Sufi philosophy, symbolism and numerology inspire his works. However he has used this heritage as a base, and fused it with other cultures' sensitivities and with his own vision and innovations, to create vibrantly modern works on etchings, lithographs, ceramics, painting, pottery, textiles, carpets, ironworks, murals, installations, performance art, etc… The Sakakini is pleased to have hosted this exhibit to give our public the opportunity to get to know the work of an artist who has identified part of his work with Palestine. Rachid Koraichi says in recollection of this exhibit: “Poem of Beirut” was born out of the disability to face the tragedy that had befallen Beirut. During the siege that the Israeli forces had imposed on the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), my friend Mahmoud Darwish was one of those besieged. The phone had become the only possible means of communications between us. The siege remained for several weeks… I set off to carve the illustrations of the book simultaneously while Mahmoud was writing his poem. My goal was to record the concurrence of the moments of cowardice and betrayal and the heroism of the Palestinian fighters… I see in the exhibition of this project in the city of Ramallah a new step of solidarity with the besieged and victimized Palestinian people."
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