Painter, Sculptor, Poet
From the spirit of the cedar tree he drew his first breath… a part of it was carried within him and a part of him was carried within it, his ideas sculpted solid like its wood, his poetry nurtured by the essence of its leaves, his thirst satiated by the water of its roots, and the colors of his deepest dreams blended with the natural beauty of its branches.
On a cold October night filled with the earth’s raging anger and the wrath of heavens his first cries were heard. Rudy Rahmeh was born on that night in 1967 in Bsharri. He was born in a storm and a storm was born in him.
The trinity who was born in the cedars was in Bsharri it was loose and it was free…it is there where the one hundred and two faces of the lord called for him to make them and they all came to life under his hands, laughing to him and crying for the pain of his homeland, bleeding in the blankness of a snow flooded land.
He was born in a storm and a storm was born in him.
Rudy Rahme is a Lebanese painter, sculptor and poet. He was born in Bcharre, north of Lebanon in 1967. He was the secretary of Gibran Khalil Gibran’s Committee for Culture and the President of the Cedars Forest Committee where he is still a member. He is the Founder and President of Azamil Al Alwan Association, a member of The Lebanese Sculptors and Painters Syndicate and a member of Darag Al Fan – DAG Association.,
Rudy was influenced by many factors such as the Lebanese nature – Qadicha, Sipiritual- Bakaa kafra, and Culture- Wahib Keyrouz, Musee Gebran Khalil Gebran, MIcheal Angelo (anatomy), Leonardo Da Vici (Simplicity), Raffaello and many other artist.Rudy was a student at the “Académie Libanaise des Beaux-Arts – ALBA”. He then pursued his specialization in fresco and sculpture at the “Academia Spinelli” in Florence with the assistance of the Baraldi family and conducted lost wax casting sessions at the “Fonderie Coubertin” in Paris. He invented a new technique for fixing the “Pencil on Canvas” paintings which was patented in his name in Florence, Italy and announced at the “Gadarte Gallery” there.
He also invented Fresco on wooden paper, charcoal on canvas, charcoal and fresco on canvas, and charcoal and fresco on wooden paper. From north to south Lebanon, Rudy has so far conducted a list of personal and collective exhibitions in which he always performs live sculpting, live painting, conferences and poetry evenings.
In the Arab world, Rudy had the chance to represent Lebanon and participate in a number of exhibitions. He has created several sculptures for Arab leaders and celebrities. Some of his most significant exhibitions were: “Teramo Exhibition” in Italy, “The International Art Show Room” in Geneva, Switzerland, “Christmas in Five Continents” in Paris, France, “The Francophone Communities Symposium” in Tripoli, Lebanon and “The International Symposium” in Rachana, Lebanon where he was selected as the representative of Lebanese sculptors. He also participated at “The Annual Symposium” in Czech Republic and “The First Lebanese-Latvian Arts Exhibition” at the UNESCO in Beirut, Lebanon. His sculptors are part of the permanent “Galerie du Marché-Prestige” in Montreux, Switzerland and the “Gadarte Gallery” in Florence, Italy. He also exposed his work in worldwide cosmopolitan cities such as Miami, Singapore, Amsterdam, London, Paris, Switzerland, Dubai and Monaco.
Of all his abundant achievements, “La Martine Cedar” known as the cedar of the father remains the most remarkable wooden sculptor and the largest around the world. It stands 39 meters high. In addition to this he brought to life, 102 human figures that reflect the link between time and place. Rudy also transferred two other dead cedar trees into pieces of art: the cedar of the son and the cedar of the holy spirit, and there are still 11 cedars waiting for their turn to complete the human forest in the “Cedar Forest”.
It is also worth mentioning that Rudy Rahme has been selected as one among 40 international artists chosen to continue the work on Nelson Mandela’s six paintings that will be exhibited all over the world to support Mandela’s Foundation.
Among the distinguished works of Rudy are, a monumental sculpture of Gibran Khalil Gibran in Bronze that stands 4 meters high at the entrance of Gibran’s Museum in Bcharre, Lebanon as well as the complete carving of Mary Haskell’s Cultural Place which spreads over an area of 5000 m2 near the Museum and the memorial sculpture at Gibran’s tomb. ”. Some of the amazing achievements of Rudy are the “Windmill of Time” at Jeita Grotto, the different sculptures at the entrance of the UNESCO Palace – Beirut, the altar at the St. Joseph church – Mtayleb, the altar at Bkerki church, St. Joseph sculpture carrying baby Jesus at the entrance of the St. Joseph University, and the wooden sculptures at the entrance of the American University of Beirut and in its museum.
Rudy’s work has always been appreciated and received numerous local and international awards. He was awarded from the municipality of Nogent Sur Marne- Paris. He also received many other awards such as Sursock Award for the special technique (pencil on canvas), Said Akl” Award, “Arz El Watani” Award, “the Murex D’or” and “Nahet El Arabi” from UNESCO. Rudy also received a gratification from the Minstry of Culture Latvia- UNESCO, “National Cedars” Award from the lions Club and “Arz El Award from the Rotary Club. Watan. Rudy also received the golden medal in poetry with a distinction certificate from “Studio El Fan, and the 1st prize of the “independence Day” competition held in Kesserwan region. What has been mentioned is only few of all the awards, gratifications and appreciation certificates from different organizations and associations.
Rudy is an artist who is always ready to leave the city of his comfort and set off into the wilderness of his intuition! He describes himself as a school that was born from his past, a past filled with the schools of artists before him. He depicts himself as a tree trunk that was strengthened by the roots of his past, invisible roots that are the power in him, the power of God. He says: “what is now visible is the shape and the space, and what is invisible is the time. Uniting both is what makes us.” His latest project continues nowadays… The Walking Rock.