Biography

Passed Away March 2017

For the last 40 years, Stavro Jabra, better known as STAVRO, has been reflecting through his work the current events in Lebanon, the Middle East and the world in general.

Born February 18, 1947 in Beirut, his success and fame were gained through his political caricatures that were published in most Lebanese newspapers. Starting 1967, his caricatures appeared in the following:

Local publications: As-Sayad, L'Orient-le Jour, Az-Zamane, Samar, As-Safa, Al-Mouharer, Al-Anwar, Al-Ahrar, Sada-Lubnan, Horoscope, Flash, Chabaka. Al- Jeich, Ad-Dastour, Al-Jarida, Sketch, Al-Hasna, Le Beyroutin, Sawt wa Soura, Magazine, Al-Ousbouh al-Arabi, Al-Kifah al-Arabi, Al-Amal, Le Réveil, Ad-Dawliya, Majalati, Mondanité, Estejwab, Chronique, Nida al-Watan, The Daily Star.

International publications: Der Spiegel, Jeune Afrique, Punch, Atlas World Press, l'Express, Economia, Le Monde, Il Giornale, J'Informe, Le Courrier International, Die Weltwoche, the Washington Times…

CVN Television station for the daily evening news for the period of two years.

News Agencies: Associated Press (AP), Agence France Press (AFP) has published by telephotography his caricature all around the world.

Stavro is the author of sixteen caricature and four photo collections.

His caricature collections are exposed in Montréal at the "Bibliothèque de l'Humour" library. He has participated in countless international caricature exhibitions in Montréal, Berlin, Ancona, Athens, Gabrovo, Istanbul, Malta, Yugoslavia, France and Geneva.

He was the guest of honor at the Caricature Festival in Epinal "France", in 1989, and at seven local exhibitions in Beirut in the years 1969, 1973, 1982, 1987, 1991, 1996 and 1997.

His work was also exposed at the Year of the child exhibition in January 1980 at "Mairie de Paris".

Stavro is also renown for his photographs and was honored as One of the best Contemporary Photographers of the Lebanese War by the French magazine "Photo".

His photographs appeared in the following: Local magazines and Paris Match, Photo, Photo deutsche ausgabe, Photo Reporter.

Stavro also founded in September 1983 his own monthly magazine "SCOOP" in which he had the opportunity to publish his non-political photographs. He tried to capture the beauty in this world, the charm of human beings, giving them each the Real Human dimension. A regular at most international movie festivals, especially the Cannes Festival, he has photographed the world's most famous movie stars.

As a major Lebanese social figure, he has been a jury member of the Lebanese Talent Program "Studio el Fan" on the national television station "LBC" during the years 1988 and 1992.

He founded the "Lebanese Press Photographers Syndicate" and performed as president emeritus of that syndicate in the year 1992.

Jury member of Beirut Film Festival in October 1997.

He contributed to the “Masterclass for Editorial Cartoonists” in Malta-1998.
He contributed to the meeting of the Middle East working group in Istanbul-2000.

Winner of the Golden Web Award 2001-2002 by I.A.W.M.D. (International Association of Web Masters and Designers).

In the framework of the festival "Presse and Caricature", Stavro was honoured by Al Rowad el-Arab for the year 2002 in Cairo.

He contributed to the « 5ème Rencontre Internationale du Dessin de Presse (RIDEP), in Carquefou, France-2004.

In the « 3rd Media Festival », Stavro wins the 2004 Cartoon Trophy- Beirut 2004.

Two illustrations of the most famous woman in the world Madonna drawing by Stavro in “Madonna in Art”, compiled by Mem Mehmet and published by Pop Art Books, London-2004.

Stavro received a letter from UN Secretary General Kofi Annan - November 2004

In the 4th Arab Media Festival, Stavro wins 2006 Caricature Trophy. Beirut 2006.

He contributed to the seminar and exhibition “Cartooning for peace” at the Palais des Nations Unies in Geneva, with participation of several cartoonists-March 2007. Sponsored by Human Rights Watch, the Word Organisation against Torture, the International Federation for Human Rights, Amnisty International…

He was nominated "Friend of the United Nations" (FUN) during his presence to Geneva and received the blue ribbon.

Winner of “The Arab Top Award of Excellence” for his website stavrotoons.com

New TV (NTV) station for the daily news for the period of six years (2001-2007).

He exhibits at Saint-Just le Martel (France) 125 political cartoons (September-October 2007).

Stavro once again realized a power cartoons for an exhibition at the United Nations headquarters in New York, December 10, 2007. The exhibition entitled "Sketching Human Rights" illustrating the meaning of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Member of "Cartoonists and Writers Syndicate" (U.S.).
Member of "dessinateurs francophones" (France).
Member of Cartoonists Fano Funny (Italy).
Member of Daryl Cagle's professional cartoonists (U.S.).
Member of The NOSE "Caricature Artists" (U.S.)

Presently, he works for:
Al Balad (Lebanese Arabic Newspaper)
Ad-Dabbour (Arabic political humour magazine)
La Revue du Liban (French weekly magazine)
The Daily Star (Lebanese English Newspaper)

Art Exhibition - Expositions d'art

1968: Première exposition consacrée à Stavro à l’hôtel Phoenicia. 72 caricatures féroces de personnalités libanaises et internationales-Beyrouth, Liban.

1969: Exposition collective des caricaturistes libanais au Club des Universitaires à Tripoli-Liban.

1970: Septième salon international de la caricature - Montréal.

1971: Stavro expose pour la seconde fois à l'hôtel Phoenicia "Une certaine idée des têtes politiques"-Beyrouth-Liban.
-Huitième salon international de la caricature - Montréal, Canada.

1972: Neuvième salon international de la caricature - Montréal, Canada.

1973: Dixième salon international de la caricature - Montréal, Canada.

1974: Onzième salon international de la caricature - Montréal- Canada.

1975: International Cartoon Exhibition – Athènes, Grèce.
-Seconde Biennale Internationale de la caricature et de la plastique satirique – Gabrovo, Bulgarie.
-Douzième salon international de la caricature – Montréal, Canada.

1977: International Cartoon Exhibition. "Good Morning Pollution" – Athènes.

1978: Quinzième salon international de la caricature – Montréal- Canada.

1980: Exposition collective photographique. "L'enfant libanais et la guerre" – Mairie de Paris.
-Dix septième salon international de la caricature – Montréal- Canada.

1982: "Vie et mort sans légende", le témoignage photographique de Stavro – Antelias, Liban.

1983: World Press Photo – Amsterdam.
-Vingtième salon international de la caricature – Montréal- Canada.

1985: Vingt deuxième salon inernational de la caricature – Montréal- Canada.

1987: A l'occasion du 40e Festival de Cannes, Stavro expose au Centre Culturel Français de Jounieh, "Starface", des photos insolites du monde du cinéma, Liban.

1988 Dixième exposition internationale du dessin humoristique sportif – Ancôna, Italie.

1989: Stavro participe à l’exposition "Images de la caricature" comme invité surprise et d’honneur du Festival. Epinal, France.

1991: "L'inachevé en P", une série de caricatures et de dessins surréels inspirés de la paix incomplète – Station des Arts, Liban.

1993: XIth Simavi International Cartoon Competition – Turquie.
-Exposition collective des photographes de Presse au Liban-Ministère du tourisme.

1995: World Press Photo – Amsterdam.

1997: "Trait Spécial", 134 oeuvres caricaturales – Station des Arts, Liban.
-"Pinceau et crayon en plein air" – Galerie d’Art Bekhazi, Liban.
-The first collective exhibition for Professional Photographers – Galerie Entretemps, Liban.

1998: Masterclass for Editorial Cartoonists – Malta.

1999: Journées Internationales du dessin de Presse - Rouen, France.

2000: 8th International Festival of Humour and Satire "Golden Helmet"- Krusevac, Yugoslavia.
-5 th Zemun International Salon of Caricature 2000- Yugoslavia.
-Meeting of the Middle East media working group, Istanbul.
-2e Journée Internationales du dessin de Presse - Rouen, France.

2001: A GRANDS TRAITS - 20ème salon international du dessin de presse et d'humour (Saint-Just lieu - Martel), Limousin, France.
-Freedom And Journalism - Ploiesti, Romania - The First East European Festival of Cartoon - 2001

2002: PERSONALITY OF XX CENTURY- Exposition collective des grands caricaturistes du monde - Primària sectorului 2 - Bucuresti, Romania.
-UN NOUVEAU MONDE - D'un siècle à l'autre en 300 dessins de la presse étrangère. Une exposition collective organisée par le Courrier International & le Musée d'Histoire contemporaine (BDIC) - Hôtel national des Invalides - Cour d'honneur - Paris
-In Solidarity - Cartoonists rights network- Second East European Festival of Cartoons. “Freedom and Journalism”- Ploiesti - Romania - 2002.

2003: -Exhibition “Palestina”- FECO - Stuttgart-Germany.
-PERSONALITY OF XX CENTURY- Deuxième exposition collective des grands caricaturistes du monde. Portrait du grand écrivain Ion Luca Caragiale - Primària sectorului 2 - Bucuresti, Romania.
-The First International Cartoon Competition on Prevention of Addictin 2003 -Tabriz-Iran.

2004: -5ème Rencontre Internationale du DEssin de Presse- Carquefou, Espace- Culturel La Fleuriaye - France.
-The Caricatures of Racism Exhibition. Montreal, Québec - Canada.
-Caricature of Olympic 2004- Guangzhou exhibition - China.
-Salon International de la Caricature, du dessin de Presse et d’humour. 23ème Edition - The Freedom of the Press, with the collaboration of Reporters without frontiers. St-Just Le Martel.

2005: -TRAITS LIBRES- Une exposition organisée par la Comité de soutien pour l'otage français Florence Aubenas réalisée par des dessinateurs français et internationaux.Galerie Espace Moderne-Paris 3ème.

2007: -LA LIBERTE D'EXPRESSION : Les caricatures de la discorde. Maison des Arts du Grutli et Palais des Nations Unies – Genève..
-CARTOONING FOR PEACE / dessins pour la paix – Une exposition au Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication française aux Bons Enfants 182 rue Saint Honoré – Paris 1er -12-27 avril.
-125 dessins exposés au pavillon du 26ème Salon International du dessin de presse et d'humour à Saint-Just le Martel en France - Septembre-Octobre.
-SKETCHING HUMAN RIGHTS- Exhibition at the United Nations headquarters in New York - December 10.

Books - Livre par l'artiste:

CARICATURES STAVRO
Une certaine idée des têtes politiques.
97 dessins
22,5 x 22,5. Couverture souple (1971)

LA GUERRE DU PETROLE
75 dessins sur l’or noir.
24,5 x 34. Couverture souple (1974)

STAVROSCOPE 1975 – 76 – 77
Plus de 500 caricatures de la vie, de la politique et des hommes.
21,5 x 17. Couverture souple (1978)

STAVROSCOPE 78
Un regard perçant et ironique sur les événements et les hommes.
Plus de 300 caricatures politiques.
21,5 x 17. Couverture souple (1979)

DES SEINS CON LIT
54 dessins humoristiques érotiques.
14,5 x 21,5. Couverture souple (1979)

LIBAN MON HUMOUR
Panorama Stavroscopique de l’actualité libanaise et internationale.
300 caricatures politiques.
23 x 33. Couverture souple (1980)

VIE ET MORT SANS LEGENDE (LIBAN)
Sept années de guerre en photos. Un témoignage émouvant.
400 photos en noir et blanc.
23 x 27. Couverture cartonnée (1982)

COLOMBES DE GUERRE (LIBAN)
Des images “choc” qui ont marqué l’année 82.
Plus de 100 photos en noir et blanc.
23 x 23. Couverture souple (1982)

MUR DU SANG
L’histoire de l’étape la plus difficile de la guerre libanaise.
116 caricatures
24 x 16,5. Couverture souple (1982)

DOLLARMES
Une analyse politico-socio-économique de la situation libanaise.
60 caricatures ayant pour principale vedette le billet vert.
34 x 15,5. Couverture souple (1985)

STARFACE
Un ouvrage qui rassemble les meilleures photos insolites
réalisées sur les stars du 7 ème Art.
140 photos en noir et blanc.
22,5 x 31. Couverture souple (1987)

SOURIEZ A LA SYRIE NOIRE
La guerre de libération.
Plus de 160 caricatures.
24 x 32,5. Couverture cartonnée (1989)

SAM SUFFIT LA SYRIE
La stavroscopie d’une super-puissance.
60 caricatures
24 x 21,5. Couverture cartonnée (1989)

LES SAIGNEURS DE LA GUERRE
La guerre du Golfe avec des jeux de mots et calembours.
91 caricatures pour 91 situations.
24 x 16,5. Couverture souple (1991)

RAQUEL MADE IN LEBANON
Un recueil photographique sur la vedette mexicaine Lucia Mendez.
108 photos en noir et blanc.
17 x 24. Couverture souple (1992)

L'AN PIRE' 92
Sa caricature contestataire, alliée à la virtuosité de ses jeux de mots, forme cette gymnastique mentale,
dont se délectent les esprits les plus coriaces.
200 caricatures
17 x 24. Couverture souple (1992)

YA SALAM
La paix israelo-palestinienne.
116 caricatures
23 x 15,5. Couverture souple (1993)

STAVRO TRAIT SPECIAL
Personnalités libanaises et internationales.
134 tableaux en couleurs.
24 x 33. Couverture cartonnée (1996)

FEMMES A CROQUER
Croquis érotiques.
85 illustrations faites au crayon mine.
21,5 x 28. Couverture cartonnée (1997)

VIVRE LEBNAN IN CARTOONS
Une collection de dessins de presse sur l'actuallité libanaise de l'année 2006.
290 dessins politiques. 225 pages.
19.5 x 19.5 Couverture cartonnée (2007)

A souvenir book about Stavro Jabra Caricatures