Beirut Art Center Opens 'Port Cities' Exhibition on Maritime Histories

On October 9, 2025, the Beirut Art Center, in partnership with the British Council Lebanon and the Liverpool Arab Arts Festival, will unveil the exhibition 'Port Cities: Fragments of Maritime Routes.' This showcase includes commissioned pieces from artists Mohamed Abdelkarim, Laila Hida, Nadia Kaabi-Linke, and Siska, who delve into the dual nature of the port as both a tangible space and a symbolic concept. Initiated through residencies in Liverpool in 2024, the artists explored maritime history, trade, slavery, and migration. They returned to their respective coastal cities—Alexandria, Tunis, Marrakech, and Beirut—to reflect on these enduring legacies. As a traveling exhibition, 'Port Cities' adapts to each location, with Beirut's version highlighting the port as a current reality rather than a relic, emphasizing the city's fragmented maritime connections.