BEIRUT: The veteran Lebanese master Hussein Madi, renowned for his vibrant paintings, has died in Beirut. Often called the “Lebanese Picasso,” Madi crafted his own visual language, peppered with bird motifs, curvy women, and geometrical symmetry, that made his bold oeuvre look instantly recognizable amongst Arab art enthusiasts.
Fellow artists and gallerists took to social media to offer their condolences. On Instagram, the Lebanese artist Abed Al-Kadiri posted some old snapshots of Madi in his studio and wrote. “Today at his burial ceremony Madi joined his flock of birds, flying alone, united with himself, just as he always lived.”
Maliha Tabari, founder of Dubai’s Tabari Artspace, said that Madi was the first artist she worked with in 2003, which proved to be an invaluable experience. “I’ll never forget the afternoons that would turn to evenings spent on his balcony in Beirut, delving into intense discussions of form explained by him through the curve of a pomegranate or a bird’s wing,” Tabari posted. “We lost not only a key figure from our region’s art journey, but also a father figure.”
Madi, who was also a sculptor, printmaker, educator and press illustrator, was born in the southern Lebanese town of Shebaa in 1938. While his parents reportedly did not approve of his artistic pursuits, it was his encouraging grandfather that saw potential in Madi. He left his parents’ home at the tender age of 19. He reportedly supported himself financially by submitting caricatures to newspapers in Lebanon and Iraq.
In the early 1960s, Madi was a student at the Lebanese Academy of Fine Arts. He later went on to have an international education, by traveling to the exciting art capital of Rome, in 1963, where he enrolled at the Accademia di Belle Arti.
He would spend nearly the next two decades of his life in Rome, before returning for good to Lebanon in 1986, while the civil war was still happening. “I bitterly regret not having remained in Rome because of all the frustrations I endured since my return to Beirut. In fact, civil war drastically affected the course of my life,” Madi once said.
In Lebanon, Madi devoted himself to his canvas, showcasing his work in several art galleries in Beirut. For 10 years, starting in 1982, Madi was also president of the Lebanese Art Association.
Madi’s paintings offer a visually appealing melange of thick lines, repetitive patterns, angular shapes, natural scenes, and bright colors. There is an element of spontaneity, presented in an orderly fashion. His images are also populated with figures, holding a book, a musical instrument — or simply reclining. “Despite all the mishaps, I was deeply happy. My work celebrated life,” he said.
Over the years, Madi’s artworks have been featured in auction sales at Christie’s and Sotheby’s. His works have also been acquired by regional and international art institutions including the Barjeel Art Foundation (Sharjah), Dalloul Art Foundation (Beirut), Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art (Doha), Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts (Amman), British Museum (London) and Institut du Monde Arabe (Paris).
