Ahmad Ghossein's Beirut Show Chronicles Lebanon's Collapse
Ahmad Ghossein's solo exhibition 'Serotonin, Benzine, and a Renegade Body' at Marfa’ Projects in Beirut presents seven works—film, sculpture, and photo series—that document Lebanon's systemic collapse since 2019. The show addresses the 2019 protests, economic downfall, petrol shortages, and bank lockdowns with dark humor. Notable pieces include 'A Sealed Gallon' (2023), referencing the 2020 summer petrol crisis; 'The Intelligence and His Camera' (2023), with faces erased from protest photos; 'How to Make your Money Sell' (2023), made from devalued Lebanese lira bills; and the 26-minute video 'So your heart aches, huh? or The Pit' (2023). Ghossein's work explores individualism, survival, and the surreal nature of daily life in Lebanon, incorporating bizarre news items like the Minister of Education proposing loudspeaker classes and the US embassy recalling undernourished police dogs. The exhibition runs until 7 December 2023.
Key facts
- Exhibition titled 'Serotonin, Benzine, and a Renegade Body' at Marfa’ Projects, Beirut
- Seven works including film, sculpture, and photo series
- Addresses Lebanon's crises since 2019: protests, economic collapse, petrol shortages, bank lockdowns
- Piece 'A Sealed Gallon' references 2020 summer petrol shortages
- 'The Intelligence and His Camera' shows protest photos with faces erased
- 'How to Make your Money Sell' uses cut-up Lebanese lira bills
- Video 'So your heart aches, huh? or The Pit' is 26 minutes long
- Exhibition runs until 7 December 2023
Entities
Artists
- Ahmad Ghossein
- Marwan Rechmaoui
Institutions
- Marfa’ Projects
- Canvas
Locations
- Beirut
- Lebanon