‘Ourouba': The Eye Of Lebanon’ asks what it means to be an Arab

CAIRO – 23 September 2017: The Beirut Art Fair is currently hosting a non-profit exhibition titled “Ourouba: The Eye of Lebanon,” which explores the reasons behind what it means to be an Arab, especially in the modern world.

Curated by Rose Issa, an analyst and writer from London, the exhibit occupies well over 400 square meters and features over 40 pieces of work by contemporary Arab artists of the last decade. The artwork ranges from photographs, sculptures, paintings and multi-media installations, and is loaned from Arab collectors, allowing the showcasing of the tastes of Arab art enthusiasts rather than specifically western ones.

Among the names featured include Walid Raad, Mona Hatoum, Adel Abidin, Hanaa Malallah. Much of the works deal with violence, given the unrest, strife and warfare that plagues the Arab world. Issa picked artists from all across the Middle East, including Syria — and primarily Lebanon — to provide a diverse range of perspectives regarding life as an Arab.

Yet it isn’t all just about war. Many works have nothing to do with violence. Paintings of cedars show how life can be rebuilt from war. One rather profound sculpture by artist Ginane Makki Bacho features a cedar tree made from the shrapnel collected in the wake of the Lebanese Civil War.

Ourouba: The Eye of Lebanon began on September 21 and will run until September 24.