Ramzi Mallat's 'Suspended Disbelief' Interrogates Belief and the Evil Eye at Takeover Beirut

Beirut/London-based multidisciplinary visual artist Ramzi Mallat presents 'Suspended Disbelief,' an installation at Takeover Beirut that interrogates the tension between belief and doubt. The exhibition centers on the evil eye motif, a primordial symbol of protection and destabilization deeply embedded in Mediterranean folklore. Mallat reimagines the evil eye as both a safeguarding and destabilizing force. Viewers first navigate suspended bronze works inspired by ancient artifacts from the 'Eye Complex' of Tell Brak in Syria. His 'Constellations of Protection' (2023-ongoing) series balances raw tactility and refined detail, embodying strength and vulnerability as guardians of cultural memory. A 'Vista Visions' (2024-ongoing) work on paper is reconfigured into a wallpaper of repeating patterns that recalibrate and confuse depth of field, incorporating references to the gaze as a symbol of perception, surveillance, and spiritual defense. Mallat chose Takeover Beirut for its experimental principle within Lebanon's artistic scene, challenging him to respond within spatial constraints and the urgency of the country's volatile socio-political situation. The installation urges viewers to consider how belief systems—cultural, personal, or societal—influence our understanding of reality, becoming a site of personal introspection and collective renewal.