Thursday, August 19, 2010

Beirut, now and zen....

(c) Walid Zbib
These two postcards (still available to this day in the Way In bookstore in Hamra) remind me of my AUB days - as these posters were all over the place back then.... Both are the works of Walid Zbib - who from internet info was 22 at the time (since one of them dates back to 1987, "Beirut have a nice day") the second goes back to 1990 and is called Beirut v/s Beirut because it was set at the Museum crossing which was the demarcation line between East and West Beirut.... The Dochca in the Hamra one refers to the now defunkt Modca cafe (replaced by Jack Jones)... How can one love a city in ruins as much as we have loved Beirut, I wonder - the words of poet Nizar Kabbani go back to me (speaking of Beirut): We have given you a knife instead of a rose...

4 comments:

Danielle said...

Where is this bookstore? These would be great to give my brother and sister when I go back home! Are they sold in poster size?

Anonymous said...

I love these posters i have them in my house and everyone stops to see them from the window....i found them in librairie orientale hamra.

Anonymous said...

I have them long time back, those posters are the really story for all stories you heard it about and you will hear about LEBANON.

If any one has any Idea where I can find the third poster, the poster for AL RAWSHE I thing.

Tarek Chemaly said...

Just to Esquire bookstore next to Napoleon Hotel and the Mayflower.