Shawqi Dallal is a Lebanese visual artist with a distinct signature. He is the founder and president of the “Fine Arts Workshop Association for Culture and Arts” in Lebanon, which has hosted hundreds of intellectuals, artists, and prominent figures in seminars and social events.
He holds the position of Secretary-General of the “Union of Cultural Houses in Lebanon,” and is the founder and president of the “Inana Cultural Salon” in Lebanon, Secretary of Fine Arts at the “Council of Thought,” and head of the National Campaign for the Preservation of Heritage Architecture in Lebanon. Additionally, he is a member of the following: the “Union of Arab Cultural Associations” in Cairo, the “Board of Trustees of One Lebanon Youth,” the “Lebanese United Nations Association,” the “Arab NGO Network for Development,” the “Lebanese Red Cross” in Rashaya, the “Board of Trustees of Youth Expectations,” and a founding member of the “Arab Cultural Center.”
Art Critic
Dallal is an art critic who has contributed to numerous studies and research in the field of visual arts. He has held many private exhibitions in Lebanon (UNESCO Palace), (Glass Hall - Lebanese Ministry of Tourism), (Dar Al-Nadwa Hamra, Beirut), and (Ajyal Hall, Jal El Dib), as well as a number of group exhibitions in Lebanon and various Arab and international countries.
He has received many shields and honors, including: Honorary Doctorates in Arts from “Melbourne University” and “Ain Shams University” for his contributions to art research. He was also awarded a cedar tree planted in his name in the “Bsharri Cedar Forest,” granted by the “Friends of the Cedars Committee” and the Municipality of Bsharri in 2017. Other awards include the “Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Center” shield in Dubai in 2015, the World Peace Medal at the “American University Academy” headquarters in Ain Shams, Cairo in 2015, the Lebanese Army shield in 2011, which he received from Army Commander General Jean Kahwaji at the “Ministry of Defense,” the Cultural Consulate of the Republic of Latvia in the European Union shield in 2013 for his activities in culture and art, and the “Artistic Torch” medal from the “Ebda’ Arts Foundation” in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2010.
Shields and Honors
He also received the shield of the Crown Prince of the State of Kuwait, Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, in 2008; the World Talent Medal in 2010 in Canada; the Lebanese Army Command shield, which he received from Army Commander General Michel Suleiman at a ceremony held at the “Lebanese Ministry of Defense” in 2007; the “National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters” shield in Kuwait in 2005; the “Kuwaiti Information Office in Beirut” shield in 2004; the “Secretary-General of the Arab League Amr Moussa” shield in 2003; the “Francophone Summit” shield held in Beirut in 2001; the Expatriate Festival shield in Qabb Elias in 2000; the “Literary Dialogue Forum” medal in Lebanon; and the “Culture and Art” shield from the “Lebanese Ministry of Culture” in 1998.
He also received the Rashaya al-Wadi Municipality shield in Lebanon in 2018, the “Kuwaiti Ministry of Information” (News and Political Programs Sector) shield in 2018, the Faisal Hussein Fahad Al-Omar Diwan shield in Kuwait in 2018, and the shields of the “Al-Manzouma Real Estate Company” and “Kuwaiti Makaseb Holding Company” in Kuwait in 2018. Additionally, he received a plaque honoring the visual arts family in Kuwait, presented by the Kuwaiti artist Faisal Al-Mahdi in 2019.
He is the author of a dialogue book between the brush and the word entitled “Wa al-shay'u bil-shay'i yudhkar” (And things are remembered by their counterparts), published in 2016. He also released a volume on the heritage architecture in Western Bekaa, Rashaya, and Hasbaya, in which he archives heritage architecture and its history.
Dallal is a native of the town of Rashaya al-Wadi, from the Unitarian Druze community, and holds a diploma in arts (1982) from the “Institute of Fine Arts” in Lebanon.
