lebanese illustrator pamela mansour’s art is colorful, feminine, and powerful, yet it still manages to put a smile on people’s faces, a feat not to be underestimated in a world filled with self-important proclamations in the guise of art. there is power in finding the lightness of being in the midst of chaos and darkness, and in that sense, mansour’s art is not to be reckoned with.

how would you describe yourself as an artist?

i have an issue talking about myself as an artist. i was a very shy girl, and the easiest way to express myself was in drawing. it’s always been something i’ve enjoyed doing from very early on in life. it pushed me to follow the career path i have today. i studied in graphic design without a specific goal in mind. i just knew that it had to be artistic. after working a few years in graphic design, i quit my job in 2019 and have been focusing on illustrating ever since. drawing is something i’ve been doing and will continue to do all my life.

would you consider yourself a digital artist?

i use a digital medium, however i don’t like to define myself as a digital artist because i don’t explore the digital medium as much as self-proclaimed digital artists do. i just found a method i’m comfortable with and that suits my style of illustration. i enjoy digital illustrations, but i also still enjoy free-hand drawing.

what do you enjoy about free-hand drawing?

i enjoy making compositions, that’s usually how i start my concepts. i create compositions with free-hand illustration, i try out different things with different elements and once i’m decided on a structure or a layout, i transfer to digital. free-handing allows the mind to unleash, but it needs practice. it took me some time to set my hand free and follow my hand’s flow. the hand of any type of artist is the tool and the pen, the brush or the instrument, are the extension of that tool.

how would you describe your style and how did you develop it?

my style relies heavily on colors and forms, in a graphic way. my background in graphic design has definitely contributed. my style is sarcastic and humoristic, but also delicate and fun. i want people to pause for a bit and smile when they see my work. that’s what matters to me, but i’m also open to how other people interpret my work.

what’s your process like? how do you face the infamous blank canvas?

it has to be something visual, something i see or that i’ve seen that sparks an idea. then, i have to imagine the end result or the final image before i’m able to start with it. i usually have a creative block during a period of stress. the solution is to practice or to put myself in an environment allowing me to let go and to unleash my imagination, so i can start the process of creation.

what does that environment look like?

it looks like home or any place that looks like home. it’s also any familiar object that reminds me of home. it can be a book that i’m attached to at the moment, even if i’m not reading it, just having it there is reassuring. nature is of course extremely important. i need it more than i like to admit. i need to be in a green space like the outdoors. i’m also inspired by the movement of people, feeling small in a big city… it’s a bunch of things.

there’s a palpable female energy in all of your work. is it deliberate?

there’s definitely a part of it that’s deliberate because it is my way of expressing myself. it’s linked to how shy of a little girl i was. it’s my way of emancipating myself from that shy girl, who wasn’t comfortable with her femininity. nowadays, i’m more comfortable hiding behind non-feminine aesthetics. i like unleashing that side of me through my illustrations. i feel more comfortable that way. it’s more anonymous and there’s a sense of freedom that comes from it.

"i have an image that made me more accepting of my situation here: a plant that you unroot and put in a different environment. at first, it’s very normal for the plant to wither, which is why it's important to take care of that plant with water and sunshine, so it’s able to prosper in its new land."

you’ve illustrated album covers, logos, posters, card decks, just to name a few. does your process change depending on the format?

not so much on the format rather than on the project and the people i’m working with. recently i’m more interested in bigger formats because in digital you don’t have format restrictions, besides the screen obviously. i’m interested in creating small details on a large scale.

what is the key to keeping your identity as an artist intact when dealing with clients?

if i feel like there isn’t any room for my sensitivity and the authenticity that comes from it or i don’t feel a connection with the client, then i don’t take the project. usually, the clients who want to work with me appreciate my authenticity and encourage me to keep it. as challenging as a project can be, as long as i know i can keep that part intact, everything is surmountable.

today many artists depend on social media for work. is it a blessing, a curse, or both?

it’s definitely both. social media gives visibility to artists, allows them to reach different audiences and provides amazing opportunities, but it’s also exhausting and removes the magic of creativity, especially if you’re going to create just to post filler content. it’s hard to keep up. You get exhausted and it feels like you are playing a game that you don’t want to be a part of. that game is: is there any authenticity behind the work? i find balance in being ok with not being active on social media all the time. i’m not always in a creative mood, so instead of feeling pressured by seeing other people’s work online, sometimes, i’d rather be an observer and get inspired. other times, i feel super inspired and in the mood to share. i’m ok with both. if the algorithm is not on my side, i’m ok with that too. i don’t lose confidence anymore when i post something that doesn’t get the attention that i want. letting go of the ego and discussing with other artists their experience with social media also helps me to be at peace with it. you don’t have to play the game all the time.

as you know, our region is now in complete turmoil. do you think artists have a role to play in times like these?

an artist’s role is very crucial. i don’t want to generalize or distinguish artists from other people because i think we are all artists somehow, in the way that we live, the way we see things… it’s just a matter of how we choose to explore things. this sensitivity gets damaged at times like these. although, you want to create and have a lot of things to say, sometimes the environment doesn’t allow you to do so. it’s hard and challenging, but once you get a grasp of things, it becomes crucial to find a way to express things and no to stay quiet, especially if you have a community that supports you. it’s any artist’s mission, or calling, to inspire people. we’re not just witnesses, we have to be active and take action. even if change is not immediate, we have to try to be leaders, even if it’s very difficult. it’s the intuition and the discussions we have with ourselves that allow us to unblock certain thoughts. having an exterior view of yourself and your situation helps a lot. this could be facilitated by removing yourself from a certain place, even if for a few days, and being on the outside looking in.

lebanon has been through a lot in the past 5 years: a popular uprising, one of the biggest economic crashes in history, the massive august 4th explosion and now threats of all-out war with israel. is there any hope for lebanese artists residing in lebanon?

it’s difficult to give my opinion on that matter because i don’t reside in lebanon at the moment, but there is always hope. artists tend to create their own opportunities and i’m seeing that already. i moved out of lebanon a couple years ago, in september 2022, to be precise. Yet, i am currently witnessing the hope that lebanese artists are creating.

how has moving to france impacted your artistic journey and/or influenced your process?

i lived in lebanon all my life, and living abroad was always something i wanted. even as a teenager, i always felt that to express myself, i have to move around. the thought of being stuck somewhere scares me. i need change. if i want to keep doing what i’m doing, i have to challenge myself and try something new. when i first moved it was difficult. i felt like i was physically separated from my community. it also felt like i was ‘out of sight out of mind’, like i was losing my connections to that community. there was a period of inactivity, which impacted my creativity. i wasn’t able to work on personal projects until recently. it’s only in the past few months that i was able to meet people, make connections and friends. this has allowed me to get back on track and to find my creative flow once again. i have an image that made me more accepting of my situation here: a plant that you unroot and put in a different environment. at first, it’s very normal for the plant to wither, which is why it's important to take care of that plant with water and sunshine, so it’s able to prosper in its new land.

have you faced any challenges as a lebanese artist living abroad?

yes of course. i’m currently in dijon, as opposed to paris, where most of the lebanese are. it’s easier to create a community there, so for me, the experience was isolating in the beginning. there’re also social and cultural codes, and nuances in the language that do not help people like myself to assimilate immediately. also, not having that network when i first arrived was hard. it’s all about connections, anywhere in the world.

in parallel, the arab world is making a huge emergence onto the world art scene. why do you think that is?

the talent that our people have. also, time. we’ve spent a lot of time listening, watching and observing. observing is a very important part of creation. it’s enriching. now, it’s time for us to participate. we have a lot of things to say given everything we’ve been through. it’s not evident for westerners, but we have a very rich and eclectic culture. we come from different regions, with different values… it’s happening now! people are watching us, and are listening to what we have to say. we are the people of the hour, and now is our time to express ourselves.

has that benefited you in any way?

not as much as i would like to. i’m not there physically, and that matters a bit. there’s big potential for me in the arab world, but i haven’t really been able to get the right opportunity to truly benefit from it.

what’s next for pamela mansour?

she’s here. she’s here to stay, even after doubting myself and thinking of quitting many times. right now, i’m ready. i have a lot of things to say. i have a different narrative and a different chapter of my story to tell. there’s a big part of it that is still unknown, but that’s what keeps me going. i like surprises. i don’t have very defined projects or view of what’s next, but i’m here for it. i will follow the flow and i will always follow my intuition wherever that may take me. i’m ready for it.

interview by ralph arida

pamela mansour: playing with power