Farah Malhas, 36, had just finished having lunch at a friend's house in Beirut when she felt a tremor.
There was, however, little indication of the enormity of what was about to happen.
"Initially, and because the [first] blast was felt underneath the building, I thought the overworked generators had exploded," she says, referring to the backup motors so commonly used in Lebanon because of electricity cuts. "When the second explosion occurred, the entire building shook or rather danced. Dust and rubble entered through the open windows, screams were heard outside and we sat there frozen, waiting for the building to collapse."
It was a moment of dread shared across the city. Everyone expected the worst. “Minutes later, when what we all anticipated did not happen, we ran to the corridor and sat on the floor trying to call loved ones in an attempt to figure out what was going on,” the artist says. “No one knew, and people were speculating. Then it became clear, there was an explosion at the port.”
It has been two months since the explosion ripped through the port in the Lebanese capital and left at least 190 dead and 6,000 injured. Malhas, who will be exhibiting her artwork at World Art Dubai, which opens on Thursday, October 8, has yet to process the latest catastrophe to befall a city not short on catastrophes.
"To be honest, I do not think that I have really come to terms with what happened," she says. "I do not think anyone truly has. In less than a second, Beirut was completely destroyed. It was and still is like living in an apocalyptic movie.
"The extent of the damage was unfathomable. It only became clear the second morning. My home, which is in the Achrafieh neighbourhood, had been badly damaged. Glass facades were blown into the property, aluminium frames detached from the walls and were piled over the furniture and balcony. Stone fragments from the walls that once held these structures were scattered everywhere, doors split into two."
After assessing the wreckage at her apartment, Malhas's thoughts turned to her shop, Afaf – The Cake Lounge. Named after her maternal grandmother, it also acts as a studio for her paintings. Getting there was like walking "through Armageddon", she recalls.
"It was fewer than 500 metres away from the site of the blast, so we assumed it sustained some sort of damage. But nothing could prepare us for what we saw. My reaction was one of total disbelief. I did not know whether to laugh or cry. It was all gone. Everything."
It is profound to want to create and recreate close to a dozen pieces in such a short amount of time, but I decided to take this as a personal challenge of sorts, because if I can do this then I can do anything
Malhas had been preparing to introduce her paintings to the world for the first time at World Art Dubai, alongside the works of artists from more than 20 countries. Though her life was thrown into turmoil in a matter of minutes, she did not allow herself to wallow in self-pity.
“I did not have the time nor luxury to emotionally deal with what occurred because we were all busy picking up the pieces of what each of us lost.”
As she looked to recover her bearings, she started painting again. "Hope and my love of art made me pick up my brush again," Malhas says. "It is profound to want to create and recreate close to a dozen pieces in such a short amount of time, but I decided to take this as a personal challenge of sorts, because if I can do this then I can do anything."
As a child Malhas was encouraged by her father, Abdel Elah, a painter himself, to express herself through art. Born and raised in Amman, she moved to London in 2002 with plans to go to art school, but these fell through because her family could not see a future in the arts for her.
Then, in 2009, she went to Canada briefly before moving to Dubai for three years. Throughout that time, Malhas persevered with art.
Her unique style combines slivers of Arabic poetry with cartoonlike characters, utilising mostly – among other raw materials – oil, acrylic and spray paint on large canvasses.
It was the tragic and unexpected death of her father from a sudden illness in 2012 that led her to Beirut – where her father had lived as a student – two years later. This set her on the journey of self-discovery, which continues today.
"While studying for my master's, I reignited my passion for baking out of my home kitchen," Malhas says.
"With my grandmother's recipes in hand, I started supplying desserts to an array of local restaurants with the aim of one day opening my own. A few years later, in 2017, I took a leap of faith and opened a cafe and bakery in the Gemmayzeh neighbourhood – a melting pot of culture, heritage and all things art."
Malhas spent a year getting the place up and running, from overseeing its architecture and interior design to its menu creation. "It had to be perfect," she says.
After her art cafe was destroyed in August, Malhas and a group of friends set up an online fund-raiser, which she hopes will cover her losses and, if enough donations are raised, will resurrect the space in some form.
Malhas says that despite the recent trauma, her art has always been about perseverance, starting when she moved back to Lebanon.
"My art is not about Beirut. It is mostly inspired by my own collage of sorrow and tragedy," she says.
“For me, this specific style of work has become a means of therapy and a way to make light of heavy situations.”
For now, Malhas is looking ahead to experiencing World Art Dubai for the first time. "I am grateful for all the love and support I have already received from World Art Dubai. I hope to make them proud," she says. "I look forward to introducing my art to Dubai and the region. From there, I shall take things one step at a time.
"If anything, 2020 has taught me not to plan ahead too much," she says. "Things can and will change in a split second. Live in the moment, be grateful and stay away from anything and everything negative. Life is too short; death is but a brushstroke away."
World Art Dubai runs from Thursday, October 8 to Saturday, October 10 at Dubai World Trade Centre. More information is at www.worldartdubai.com
Washmen Profile
Date Started: May 2015
Founders: Rami Shaar and Jad Halaoui
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Laundry
Employees: 170
Funding: about $8m
Funders: Addventure, B&Y Partners, Clara Ventures, Cedar Mundi Partners, Henkel Ventures
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Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
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OPINIONS ON PALESTINE & ISRAEL
Notable salonnières of the Middle East through history
Al Khasan (Okaz, Saudi Arabia)
Tamadir bint Amr Al Harith, known simply as Al Khasan, was a poet from Najd famed for elegies, earning great renown for the eulogy of her brothers Mu’awiyah and Sakhr, both killed in tribal wars. Although not a salonnière, this prestigious 7th century poet fostered a culture of literary criticism and could be found standing in the souq of Okaz and reciting her poetry, publicly pronouncing her views and inviting others to join in the debate on scholarship. She later converted to Islam.
Maryana Marrash (Aleppo)
A poet and writer, Marrash helped revive the tradition of the salon and was an active part of the Nadha movement, or Arab Renaissance. Born to an established family in Aleppo in Ottoman Syria in 1848, Marrash was educated at missionary schools in Aleppo and Beirut at a time when many women did not receive an education. After touring Europe, she began to host salons where writers played chess and cards, competed in the art of poetry, and discussed literature and politics. An accomplished singer and canon player, music and dancing were a part of these evenings.
Princess Nazil Fadil (Cairo)
Princess Nazil Fadil gathered religious, literary and political elite together at her Cairo palace, although she stopped short of inviting women. The princess, a niece of Khedive Ismail, believed that Egypt’s situation could only be solved through education and she donated her own property to help fund the first modern Egyptian University in Cairo.
Mayy Ziyadah (Cairo)
Ziyadah was the first to entertain both men and women at her Cairo salon, founded in 1913. The writer, poet, public speaker and critic, her writing explored language, religious identity, language, nationalism and hierarchy. Born in Nazareth, Palestine, to a Lebanese father and Palestinian mother, her salon was open to different social classes and earned comparisons with souq of where Al Khansa herself once recited.
Wenger's Arsenal reign in numbers
1,228 - games at the helm, ahead of Sunday's Premier League fixture against West Ham United.
704 - wins to date as Arsenal manager.
3 - Premier League title wins, the last during an unbeaten Invincibles campaign of 2003/04.
1,549 - goals scored in Premier League matches by Wenger's teams.
10 - major trophies won.
473 - Premier League victories.
7 - FA Cup triumphs, with three of those having come the last four seasons.
151 - Premier League losses.
21 - full seasons in charge.
49 - games unbeaten in the Premier League from May 2003 to October 2004.
THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
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The 10 Questions
- Is there a God?
- How did it all begin?
- What is inside a black hole?
- Can we predict the future?
- Is time travel possible?
- Will we survive on Earth?
- Is there other intelligent life in the universe?
- Should we colonise space?
- Will artificial intelligence outsmart us?
- How do we shape the future?
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
The low down
Producers: Uniglobe Entertainment & Vision Films
Director: Namrata Singh Gujral
Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Nargis Fakhri, Bo Derek, Candy Clark
Rating: 2/5
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
The squad traveling to Brazil:
Faisal Al Ketbi, Ibrahim Al Hosani, Khalfan Humaid Balhol, Khalifa Saeed Al Suwaidi, Mubarak Basharhil, Obaid Salem Al Nuaimi, Saeed Juma Al Mazrouei, Saoud Abdulla Al Hammadi, Taleb Al Kirbi, Yahia Mansour Al Hammadi, Zayed Al Kaabi, Zayed Saif Al Mansoori, Saaid Haj Hamdou, Hamad Saeed Al Nuaimi. Coaches Roberto Lima and Alex Paz.
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
Brief scores:
Everton 0
Leicester City 1
Vardy 58'
