Hajar Tayyar

Tripoli's beach has saved me from the monster that is depression. After the bitterness of alienation and parting from my family in Jordan, the vast sea has welcomed me with open arms. And from the cobblestone on its shore, I've created one of the rarest forms of fine art.

My name is Hajar Tayyar. A Jordanian visual artist.

In 2010, my family and I arrived in Libya. I felt lonely and depressed because I had completely lost contact with my family in Jordan. I’ve tried to cope and get involved in the community more; I even formed the “Khod beiadi - Take My Hand” organisation to help people with determination - people with special needs-. I thought then that everything would be alright.

But that was the beginning of my journey with depression. It got its hooks around me again when my youngest son was kidnapped, after which he returned broken; It was then that I felt everything was falling apart.

After the incident, we left the city to settle close to the shore in Tripoli. My son and I used to go to the beach nearly every day; for me to cry on its shore. Till I believe it has taken pity on me and allowed me to use its cobblestone and turn it into an art that dissolves my misery.

I had no idea that what I was creating was a rare form of fine art that draws using cobblestones. However, I was so happy with it that I started posting pictures on Facebook with such enthusiasm.

Only then I realised that my way to survive was through this enthusiasm. But I had never expected my art to receive many invitations to be part of grandiose art exhibitions in Tripoli!

This art is extremely rare in the Arabic region, so I always tried to hone my skills in it, hoping it would receive more attention from the community. And for it to be considered one of the inspiring arts that can save people's lives and pull them from the darkness.