The Representation of National Identity in Contemporary Art Displaying War in Lebanon, Palestine & Syria

This text analyzes the representation of national identity and the impact of war on its appearance in contemporary art displaying war in three countries, Lebanon, Palestine and Syria. Hereby, national identity dimensions in the artistic productions are studied along with their implicit and explicit identifications and their relations to the wars experienced. Initially, the fundamental aspects that elucidate the multi-faceted nature of national identity in general, and its prominent appearance as a result of war, in particular, are briefly explained. Then, after offering an overview of the wars fought in the three countries of research, the text demonstrates the different dimensions of national identity in order to inspect how it is embodied in the works of art. Analyzing the relation between wars and the visual appearance of this identity, its diverse representations in these countries are revealed.