Mounira Al Solh Reclaims Phoenician Myths for Lebanese Pavilion at Venice Biennale

Artist Mounira Al Solh represents Lebanon at the 60th Venice Biennale with her installation "A Dance with her Myth" in the Lebanese Pavilion. The work reinterprets Phoenician myths, such as the abduction of Europa and the discovery of purple dye from Murex shells, to address contemporary issues including women's agency, exile, and Lebanon's political and ecological crises. Al Solh's installation comprises 41 pieces, including a hand-stitched sail, a film shot in the Shouf Biosphere Reserve, drawings on papyrus, and plastic water bottles upcycled to comment on corruption and water scarcity. She collaborated with a Lebanese family who still build boats using Phoenician methods, though cedar wood was avoided due to scarcity. The pavilion was commissioned by curator Nada Ghandour and selected by a committee. Al Solh emphasizes the importance of collective action and the blurred lines between myth and reality. The Biennale runs until 24 November 2024.