Today we’d like to introduce you to Marwan Nahle
Hi Marwan, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born in 1965 in Beirut, Lebanon into an artistic family, my father Wajih Nahle a internationally renown artist painter, and my mother a practicing sculpture , by the age of 5 years old i was often found under the tables of my parents art studio playing with clay or drawing ,at 10 years old i made my first recycled art sculpture and at 14 years old my first collage piece, at 17 years old i taught my self to play the electric guitar after discovering the music of Jimi Hendrix & Santana. In 1988 at the age of 23 years old , i had my first solo art show (Paintings) in Lebanon and since than i dedicated my life to be a full time Multidisciplinary Artist Musician , in 1989 i arrive to the United States for the first time away from the Lebanese civil war , had my first art show in Mesa Arizona, than Minnesota (Elayne’s Gallery Edina 1993), Utah (Phillips Gallery 1999) also won my first US award (Utah 99′) ,than had my first art studio in Williamsburg New York (1999-2001) than California in 2001, Oregon in 2004, same year attended Burning Man in Nevada that had a very positive impact on my creative artist career , i spent many years traveling the 5 continents absorbing so many incredible experiences to later on spending long time in my studio releasing them through the art forms of collages, paintings, short films, photography, music and recycled found objects ,In 2015-2023 i participated in many art shows in Italy that won me few awards including a 9 month residency in Basilicata south Italy. Today i reside with my wife and 3 Children in Salt lake City.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Growing up in a civil war country was not only challenging but extremely dangerous, my first individual art show was in 1989 the Art Gallery was situated in between West and East Beirut, lit by candles, due to no power , bombs falling randomly all over the place, with all this going on , i sold all my 33 paintings on the first few hours of the opening night, the Gallery owner asked me to provide more paintings for the show cause there was still 10 days left before it ended, so i did provide the show with more art, and again sold the rest of my added work, with that money i left for the United States Of America
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Regarding my paintings, i often paint (more like channelling) angels, small figures in massive landscape setting etc…, i don’t have a previous idea of what am going to paint, i simply set up my canvas and paints and wait for that inner voice that speaks to me moving me to use a specific color and spontaneous strokes , i feels like someone invisible is using me to create these paintings. Regarding my music i always improvise, a mixture of blues/ambient/dreamy/and psychedelic style, using often children toys in making new sounds while projecting my self made films on the screen behind me. As for my collages i often have an idea that comes to me before and i go from there, my short films are shot in many location around the world, it includes my music and self editing and are more experimental , my recycled art are like creatures from other world made from found objects that appeal to me and i give them shapes using wood metal plastic dry plants broken toys bones and etc…
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
i love reading physical books , Broken Wings by Khalil Gibran, The Book Of Hopi, Book of Merdad by Michael Naimy, Finger prints of the Gods by Graham Hancock ,Milton by William Blake, Many Lives Many Mansions by Brian L Weiss. The Old Man and The Sea by Ernest Hemingway
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.marwannahle.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marwannahleartist | https://www.instagram.com/marwannahlerecycled | https://www.instagram.com/marwannahlecollage/
