Eddy Choueiry: A philosopher of art

BEIRUT: With a passion for culture, archeology, and nature, packed with a keen eye for detail and raw art, Eddy Choueiry is known and praised for his works of art photographing the beautiful Lebanese scenery and heritage and bringing it to the world. What Choueiry is less known for is his fervor for philosophy and psychology and how he merges these enthusiasms together.

On Friday, the Mark Hachem Gallery hosted Choueiry for his presentation and group discussion of “What makes art human?”

Choueiry has an academic background in both philosophy and psychology, as he graduated with a BA in both, and he did not let his knowledge go to waste. “The philosopher likes to give an answer that really, 100 percent, is a definition that covers the problem,” said Choueiry “So to answer what makes art human, you just need a book on the psychology of infants.”

He went on to explain that similar to a child’s development, is how we understand art. The child first starts imitating the objects around him, so does figurative art. Figurative art is the representation of objects around, real objects. Second, the child develops a mental image of the object, so does the artist. Then comes drawing, drawing is an essential part for the child’s expression, needless to say, it’s essential to the artist.

Further, playing is an essential part of the child’s development and so it is for the artist. And lastly, language, as a child starts to learn to speak, to express, to put his emotions and actions into words, the child begins to communicate. So it is for the artist, communication with the object, subject, and the viewer. Reinforcing the philosophical statement, “Humans are born with the capacity to understand art.”

After discussing what it means to be an artist, the fundamentals, and the deep philosophical point behind art, Choueiry started a discussion circle with the audience. “I love discussions because I myself do not have an answer to most things. This is as close as it gets to knowledge,” said Choueiry.

Choueiry exhibits his raw technique in a series of books dedicated to his Lebanese heritage. In his first book “Faces and People,” he showcased the beauty and rawness of the Chouf Biosphere Reserve. He later went on to publish five more books on Lebanese landscapes ranging from the first casino in the Middle East to the architecture of traditional Lebanese houses. Additionally, he published a book on the Lebanese maritime heritage, “Liban Sur Mer.”

“I believe there is no need for the artist to intervene in everything,” Choueiry told Annahar, “Art has a weird way of naturally occurring, that’s why I was so interested in raw art. My art pieces, I add nothing to the scenery, it’s as raw as it could be. That’s why I believe my work is for 50-100 years forwards because it shows the truth as it is.”

Choueiry also started teaching the art of photography and co-founded the psychological and cultural group “Ashtarout” in 1996.