Written by ELSIE LABBAN

Hady Sy was born in 1964 in Beirut to a Senegalese father – the first Senegalese Ambassador to the Middle East and an eminent theologian^[i]. Sy’s mother was a progressive Lebanese, from a prominent family of civil servants^[ii]. This Postwar and Contemporary multimedia artist grew up in a multicultural environment, living in Beirut, Cairo, Jeddah, and Dakar^[iii]. However, the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990), and his father's death when Sy was nine, forced the family back to Beirut^[iv]. Sy completed high school amidst the turmoil and then studied Communication Arts at Beirut University College (now known as the Lebanese American University, LAU) in 1984^[v]. That same year, he moved to Paris, at the onset of the War of the Camps^[vi], a sub-conflict resulting from the ongoing Lebanese Civil War. Sy earned a Master's degree in Visual Media at École Française des Attachés de Presse (EFAP), and completed a postgraduate program in Political Science at the Sorbonne University^[vii].

In 1988, Sy founded the International Festival of Fashion Photography (IFFP)^[viii], which became a global trendsetter. The festival, held in various cities worldwide, brought together major figures in fashion photography, including Karl Lagerfeld, Jean Paul Gaultier, Kate Moss, and Naomi Campbell. His work in this period marked the beginning of a successful career in art and fashion photography.

Nonetheless, Sy's artistic journey is marked by a shift from fashion photography to socially engaged art. In 1996, the artist moved to New York and by his second year there he had become the president of H Design Studio^[ix]. Sy was also the first plastic artist to participate in Visa Pour L’image, the international festival of photojournalism. During his stay in New York, Sy was commissioned to create a book and exhibition for the commemoration of the House of Yves Saint Laurent’s 40^th anniversary^[x]. His extended time there coincided with the terrorist attack of the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001^[xi]. The 9/11 attacks deeply affected him, leading to an artistic shift of more socio-political themes.

Having transitioned from fashion photography, Sy’s work began to reflect themes of war, identity, and the human condition, often exploring the intersection of personal and collective trauma. Sy's artistic style morphed into a profound use of multimedia. By integrating photography, radiography, and installations, he often employed symbolic imagery to provoke thought and dialogue. Sy also frequently created installations with meticulous technical execution. His projects like In God We Trust, 2004, and Not for Sale, 2009, confront the pervasive impacts of violence and the moral contradictions of warfare, using powerful imagery to question the ethics of conflict and the commodification of life. The self-published pop-up book, In God We Trust, explores the paradox of faith and money, reflecting Sy's questioning of war and its moral implications. Not for Sale is a series that was exhibited globally, and based on the artist’s perspective that his art is his weapon. The project was commissioned by the French Ministry of Culture^[xii], and involved radiographs of Sy’s body as well as x-rays of 35 guns to highlight their destructive nature and the continuous cycle of violence. The guns included those used in significant historical events, emphasizing the pervasive impact of weaponry.

In addition to Sy’s socio-political works, one particular project was very close to his heart, as it spoke about a collective experience through the lens of a personal family struggle. One Blood, 2013, was inspired by his sister Youmna’s need for regular blood transfusions due to Sickle Cell disease. This project aimed to raise awareness about blood donation. Over four years, Sy traveled 182,000 miles, photographing 546 people from 79 countries, capturing their stories and messages of peace^[xiii]. The project symbolizes the shared humanity and unity found in the act of donating blood, while standing in stark contrast to the violent act of shedding blood in warfare.

Nonetheless, Sy continued to create art that spoke about more general contemporary issues and timeless struggles. His Zero Dollar series, 2014-2017, features photos and installations using zero-dollar bills, designed to look like American currency but marked with “Sifr”, the Arabic word for zero^[xiv]. The artworks employ various materials such as plexiglass, hay, and cement. Key pieces include a triptych with bullet-hole shattered buildings, colorful garbage bags filled with zero-dollar bills, and reimagined iconic artworks, all critiquing the illusions and impacts of money on society. Through this series, Sy challenges viewers to reconsider the value and moral implications of wealth in contemporary life. One of the series’ artworks, Al Khawarismi, 2015, is part of the Ramzi and Saeda Dalloul Art Foundation collection (DAF)^[xv] in Beirut. This meticulously crafted inkjet print on fine art paper measures 74 x 180 cm, approximately 10 times larger than a standard dollar bill. This artwork reimagines the familiar U.S. dollar bill, replacing George Washington’s image with an illustration of Al Khawarizmi, the 9^th-century polymath known as the father of Algebra, to honor his contributions to modern mathematics, particularly the establishment of zero as a numerical placeholder. Latin translations of Al Khawarizmi's work on algorithms in the 12^th century facilitated the transfer of these concepts from India to Europe.

The Zero Dollars series challenges viewers to confront the fetishization of money by presenting the devalued bill as both an image and a tangible object, critiquing the capitalist obsession with money. It highlights the emptiness of material wealth and its detrimental effects on society. Through his body of work, Sy consistently challenges viewers to rethink societal values and embrace a more compassionate, interconnected world.

Transitioning from the critique of monetary value, Sy's corten steel sculpture Still Standing Always, 2022, is part of his ongoing series It’s a Numbers Game, 2022-2024. This sculpture is also part of the DAF collection in Beirut and measures 140 x 125 x 17 cm. It addresses the pervasive dehumanization caused by political, economic, and technological factors. The piece features the numerical sequence 911, symbolizing the 9/11 attacks, the American emergency call number (911), and the distinctive New York Twin Towers erect on the right of the sculpture. From right to left, it reads Lillah (for God) in Arabic, highlighting the absurdity and ongoing impact of the catastrophe. The sculpture challenges viewers to reflect on the reduction of humans to numerical values and the historical rise of religious extremism.

Through international projects marked by powerful symbolism, Sy challenges audiences to rethink the role of art in driving change. Transitioning from fashion photography to socially engaged art, Sy's artistic career reflects his deep commitment to using art as a tool for social change, promoting unity and peace. Currently residing in Beirut, Hady Sy continues to create thought-provoking art addressing pressing social issues, including the aftermath of the 2020 August 4 explosion at the Beirut Port, and the ongoing economic crisis in Lebanon (2019-present). His work offers a profound commentary on contemporary life, urging viewers to reconsider societal values and embrace interconnectedness.

Sources

“Exhibition Hady Sy”. Visa Pour L’Image. Accessed 03.06.2024. www.visapourlimage.com

"Hady Sy: mon art est mon arme" Tv5Monde. Mar. 28, 2013. www.information.tv5monde.com 

“Sy, Hady.” Agial Art Gallery & Saleh Barakat Gallery. 2020. https://www.salehbarakatgallery.com/Artists/Details/42/Sy-Hady.

"Le zéro pointé vers l’infini de Hady Sy." L'Orient-Le Jour. 2017. https://www.lorientlejour.com/article/1029375/le-zero-pointe-vers-linfini-de-hady-sy.html

“One Blood: Hady Sy at TEDxLAU”. TEDx Talks, 2013.

"One Blood" by Hady Sy: Unity in Diversity”. Bank Audi. Mar. 22.2013. https://www.bankaudi.com.lb/lebanon/one-blood-by-hady-sy-unity-in-diversity

Cornwell, Tim, and Venetia Porter. “Hope for a New Future: Beirut's Art World Tell Us How the City Might Be Rebuilt.” The Art Newspaper. The Art Newspaper, September 11, 2020. https://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/people-are-leaving-in-droves-beirut-s-art-scene-lies-in-tatters.

Estrada, Youmna Sy. Hady Sy - In GOD we trust. hadysy.com

Gasparian, Natasha, Nayla Tamraz, Andrew Morisson, Angges de Gouvion Saint-Cyr, and May Farhat. Sifr, Hady Sy Beirut, Saleh Barakat Gallery, 2017.

Nysten, Anastasia. "Hady Sy: My Art Is My Weapon”. Selections Arts Magazine. May 1, 2020. https://selectionsarts.com/hady-sy-my-art-is-my-weapon/.

Habre, Olga. « Dollar Bills”. Life Executive. Feb.10.2017. https://life.executive-magazine.com/life/art-culture/artists/zero-dollar-bills

Stork, Joe. “The War of the Camps, the War of the Hostages.” MERIP, September 27, 2016. https://merip.org/1985/06/the-war-of-the-camps-the-war-of-the-hostages/.

Sy, Hady. Al Khawarismi, 2015. DAF Beirut. https://dafbeirut.org/en/hady-sy/works/5302-Al-Khawarismi

Tomb, Marie. “Hady Sy: My Art Is My Weapon”. Selections Arts Magazine”. July 9, 2020. https://selectionsarts.com/hady-sy-my-art-is-my-weapon/

Notes

^[i] www.visapourlimage.com 

^[ii] Nysten, Anastasia. "Hady Sy: My Art Is My Weapon”. Selections Arts Magazine. May 1, 2020. www.selectionsarts.com 

^[iii] "Hady Sy: mon art est mon arme" Tv5Monde. Mar. 28, 2013. https://information.tv5monde.com 

^[iv] "Hady Sy, rien ne pourra ébranler son ‘Mur de l’espoir’." L'Orient-Le Jour. 2020.

^[v] Nysten, Anastasia. "Hady Sy: My Art Is My Weapon”. Selections Arts Magazine. May 1, 2020. www.selectionsarts.com 

^[vi] Stork, Joe. "The War of the Camps, the War of the Hostages," MERIP, September 27, 2016, dafbeirut.org.

^[vii] "Sy, Hady," Agial Art Gallery & Saleh Barakat Gallery - Sy, Hady, 2020, dafbeirut.org.

^[viii] "Le zéro pointé vers l’infini de Hady Sy." L'Orient-Le Jour. 2017.

[ix] “Hayd Sy CV,” Agial Art, 0AD, dafbeirut.org.

^[x] "Le zéro pointé vers l’infini de Hady Sy." L'Orient-Le Jour. 2017.

^[xi] One Blood: Hady Sy at TEDxLAU, TEDx Talks, 2013, youtube.com

^[xii] “Exhibition Hady Sy”. Visa Pour L’Image. Accessed 03.06.2024. www.visapourlimage.com 

^[xiii] "One Blood" by Hady Sy: Unity in Diversity”. Bank Audi. Mar. 22.2013. www.bankaudi.com.lb 

^[xiv] Habre, Olga. « Dollar Bills”. Life Executive. Feb.10.2017. www.life.executive-magazin.com 

^[xv] Sy, Hady. Al Khawarismi, 2015. DAF Beirut. www.dafbeirut.org/en/hady-...