Sursock Museum Program March – May 2017

SurSock muSeum Program March – May 2017

The Nicolas Ibrahim Sursock Museum is a modern and contemporary art museum in the center of Beirut first opened in 1961, with a mission to collect, preserve, and exhibit local and in - ternational art. Through our collection, archives, exhibitions, and public programs, we aim to produce knowl- edge on art practices in the region and explore work that reflects on our contemporary moment. Our goal is to support local art production, to provide a platform for encounter and exper - imentation with art and ideas, and to inform and challenge different audiences in new and unexpected ways.

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mind the gap 1 Exhibitions and displays FaBrIK Curated by florian ebner in partnership with the goethe-institut and ifa 31 march – 8 may 2017 special exhibitions Hall, level -2 FABRIK (Factory) presents the work of five in- Participating artists are Jasmina Metwaly and ternational artists reflecting on notions of “work,” Philip Rizk, Olaf Nicolai, Hito Steyerl, and Tobias “migration,” and “revolt.” Zielony. This constellation transforms the exhibition Exhibition curator Florian Ebner is the Head space into a factory: a virtual factory of our new of the Photographic Collection at Museum networked world; a defunct Egyptian factory; Folkwang in Essen, Germany. and a factory for political narratives and the FABRIK is a touring presentation of the analysis of our visual culture. At the heart of German Pavilion at the 56th Venice all the works, we meet figures of revolt, be they Biennial, 2015. The Sursock Museum is its theatrical, photographic, filmic, virtual, and / or point of departure. physical in nature. An exhibition by the ifa (Institut für The exhibition can be read as a parable for the Auslandsbeziehungen), www.ifa.de metamorphosis of visual media, from pictures as classical recordings to the generating, processing, #fabrik #sursockmuseum and projection of images. It can also be seen as a statement about the changing use of images, blurring the boundaries between document, testimony, and fiction.

hito steyerl factory of the sun (film still), 2015 Single-channel video, 23’

2 maha maamoun the law of Existence 24 february – 12 June 2017 Twin galleries, gf Working primarily with video and photography, Maha Maamoun lives and works in Cairo, Egypt. Maha Maamoun’s work deals with the circu- Her work is generally interested in examining lation and function of images in vernacular the form, function, and currency of common culture, reframing these as tools for critical cultural visual and literary images as an entry insights and analysis. point to investigating the cultural fabric that The Law of Existence brings together works that we weave and are weaved into. She also works deal with the many faces and forms of state collaboratively on independent publishing and power in contemporary Egypt, from its man- curatorial projects. She co-founded the inde- ifestation in the intimate lives of citizens to pendent publishing platform called Kayfa-ta power solidified in the edifices of government in 2013. She is also a founding board member headquarters. of the Contemporary Image Collective (CIC), an independent non-profit space for art and culture, The works exhibited here were produced within founded in Cairo in 2004. the last five years, during a time of great change and upheaval in Egypt. At the heart of these Recent exhibitions include The Time is Out of works is a reflection on human nature, both dark Joint, Sharjah Art Foundation, 2016; Century of and bright, in times of uncertainty. Centuries, SALT, 2015; Like Milking a Stone, Rosa Santos Gallery, 2015; The Night of Counting the Years, Fridricianum, 2014; Here and Elsewhere, New Museum, 2014; and Ten Thousand Wiles and a Hundred Thousand Tricks, Meeting Points 7, 2014. #mahamaamoun #lawofexistence #sursockmuseum maha maamoun Dear animal (film still), 2016 Single-channel video, 25’30’’ Arabic with english subtitles

3 Visit Beirut! postcards and travel guides from the Fouad debbas collection 24 february – 12 June 2017 The fouad Debbas Collection gallery, level 1 As early as 1865, seven passenger lines began boost the profile of Beirut’s hotel establishments, to regularly service Beirut. The modest lodg- and make the city a sought-after destination, and ings hitherto available to travelers, the locandas, no longer the mere stopover it had long been. were to evolve. Through postcards, guides, and other publica- In just a few years, hotels proliferated, along tions from The Fouad Debbas Collection (avail- with travel agencies set up on the quays. able for consultation at the Sursock Museum Hôtel Gassman, Victoria, Royal, Beyrouth library), picture yourself as a tourist in early Palace, Métropole, Hôtel Bassoul d’Orient, Saint- 20th century Beirut, and begin by choosing Georges, Palm Beach… Travel writing from the your hotel! 1850s and guidebooks published by the likes of #hotels #beirut #tfdc #sursockmuseum Joanne, Baedecker, Cook, and Bleu, helped to

Hotel st. georges, Beirut, Circa 1934-36 Postcard, 8.7 x 14 cm The Fouad Debbas collection / Sursock museum

4 Collection Display a selection of Works from the sursock museum collection Collection galleries, levels 1 and 2 Distributed along the Museum’s upper two From Khalil Zgaib’s naïve paintings to Paul floors, the collection display traces a history of Guiragossian’s stylized human figures, the dis- Lebanese modern art from the late 1800s to play’s scope and breadth offer significant insights the early 2000s. into Lebanese modern art. Acquired by or gifted to the Sursock Museum Works on display include Farid Aouad’s Three following exhibitions, the works in the collec- Men of Note (circa 1980), Yvette Achkar’s tion also chronicle the history of the Museum’s Composition in black and pink (1987), Jean exhibition program since its opening in 1961 – Khalife’s Phoenician Women (1972), and Rima including the Salon d’Automne – as well as the Amyuni’s Mimosas (1994). evolution of artistic practices in Lebanon. #sursockmuseumcollection

nadia saïkali Composition, 1968 oil on canvas, 120 x 200 cm Sursock museum collection

5 tours Collection Tour saturday 18 march, 16:00 to 17:00 in english Led by the Sursock Museum’s docents, these Thursday 13 april, 19:00 to 20:00 in french tours guide you through the Museum’s perma- Thursday 11 may, 19:00 to 20:00 in arabic nent collection, giving insights into its history meeting point: information Desk, gf and highlighting key works on display. free admission spaces limited. first-come, first-served.

FaBrIK: Curator’s Tour With florian ebner saturday 1 april, 16:00 to 17:00 in french Join curator Florian Ebner for a tour of the on- and 17:00 to 18:00 in english going exhibition FABRIK. meeting point: Florian Ebner is the Head of the Photographic special exhibitions Hall, level -2 Collection at Museum Folkwang in Essen, free admission Germany. spaces limited. first-come, first-served.

tobias Zielony The Citizen, 2015 Installation of 22 photographs, newspapers, dimensions variable courtesy of Tobias Zielony and koW, Berlin

6 conFErEncEs The Photographic Legacy of the middle East and North africa: Priorities for Sustainability in partnership with mEppi To mark the completion of the last series of Wednesday 3 and Thursday 4 may workshops, MEPPI is organizing a symposium to 9:00 to 17:00 consider the future direction and sustainability auditorium, level -2 of photographic preservation in the Middle East and North Africa. in english and arabic with simultaneous translation free admission The symposium includes presentations and panel spaces limited, booking required. discussions that collectively highlight the rich Tickets can be booked through our website. and varied collections of photographic holdings The Middle East Photograph Preservation in the region, providing examples of effective Initiative (MEPPI) is a multi-year strategic ef- stewardship and preservation activities, and fort to build the capacity of individuals and identifying challenges and opportunities for the institutions in the care and preservation of preservation of photographic collections. photographic collections in the Middle East and Symposium partners are the Arab Image North Africa. From 2009 to 2017, MEPPI trained Foundation, the University of Delaware, the over seventy participants from 52 institutions, Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Getty representing collections in sixteen countries Conservation Institute. – Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. talKs Swiss art Talks: Peter Pfrunder an imaginary country: photography and national identity in partnership with the Embassy of Following his talk, Pfrunder will be in conver- switzerland in lebanon sation with Clémence Cottard Hachem, Head With the support of association of Collections at the Arab Image Foundation. philippe Jabre Peter Pfrunder is Director and Curator of the Thursday 9 march, 19:00 to 20:30 Fotostiftung Schweiz / Swiss Foundation for auditorium, level -2 Photography, Winterthur (Switzerland). His publications and exhibitions on the history of pho- in french tography include Swiss Photobooks from 1927 to free admission the Present – A Different History of Photography With a collection of over 50,000 photographic (Lars Muller Publishers, Baden 2011); and prints, including those by Robert Frank and Roberto Donetta. Fotograf und Samenhändler Balthasar Burkhard, Peter Pfrunder, the Director aus dem Bleniotal (Limmat Verlag, 2016). of the Swiss Foundation for Photography, will Clémence Cottard Hachem is the Head of talk about the imaginary dimension of the pho- Collections at the Arab Image Foundation, Beirut. tographic archive. Specialized in 19th-century photographic tech- niques, her research focuses on the reception of images produced at that time.

7 arP Talks: Said Baalbaki memories of stones in partnership with arp–alba-university Said Baalbaki will present his work, departing of balamand from his lithography series Memories of Stones Thursday 23 march, 19:00 to 20:30 (2012-2015), produced in relation to texts by auditorium, level -2 Gregory Buchakjian, Valérie Cachard, and Marwan Kassab Bachi to his interest in history in french and the act of writing history in his trilogy se- free admission ries Al Burak (2006-present), and his ongoing research into the life and works of Palestinian- German artist Yusuf Abo. Following his talk, Baalbaki will be in conver- sation with Gregory Buchakjian. Said Baalbaki (b. 1974, Lebanon) currently lives in Berlin. Recent exhibitions include Institut du Monde Arabe, Paris (2013); Rafia Gallery, Damascus (2010); Dome City Center (DCC), Beirut (2009); and Wilde Gallery, Berlin (2008). Gregory Buchakjian is a Beirut-based art histo- said baalbaki rian and photographer. He teaches at l’Académie skeleton of al Burak, 2011 ceramic, papier-mâché and brass mounted on a wood Libanaise des Beaux-Arts (ALBA)-University of base, 62 x 65 x 15 cm Balamand. He recently completed his Ph.D. at courtesy of the artist Université Paris IV Sorbonne, where he wrote a dissertation titled Abandoned Dwellings in Beirut: Wars and Transformation of the Urban Space (1860-2015).

arP Talks: alia Nakhli pan-arab artistic manifestations and the production of narratives (1970-1980) in partnership with arp–alba-university Hosted by various Arab countries, these of balamand events reveal the artistic circulation, and in - Thursday 13 april, 19:00 to 20:30 teractions between the Eastern and Western library, level -1 Mediterranean basins that marked the 1970s. These meetings, which have faded from memory in french and been marginalized in historiography, also free admission interest us for the discourses and narratives spaces limited. first-come, first-served. produced and presented therein. Alia Nakhli has carried out exceptional research Alia Nakhli holds an advanced master’s de - on Arab art festivals and biennials in the 1970s gree in art history and a degree in film and au- and is one of the most qualified historians on diovisual studies from Marc Bloch University, the subject. Strasbourg and a Ph.D. in art history from Paris The Union of Arab Artists, Al-ittihâd al-‘âm X-Nanterre-la Défense University. She is cur- lil-fannânîn at-tashkîliyyn al-‘arab, played rently an assistant lecturer in art history at the a leading role in organizing major artis - École Supérieure des Sciences et Technologies tic events, which took the form of bien - du Design, Manouba University, Tunisia. nials, symposia, congresses, and festivals.

8 arP Talks: Sara martinetti “transferred”: seth siegelaub’s methods from conceptual art to textile in partnership with arp–alba-university of balamand Thursday 20 april, 19:00 to 20:30 auditorium, level -2 in english free admission Seth Siegelaub (1941-2013) is best known for his decisive role in the emergence and estab - lishment of Conceptual Art in the late 1960s. With groundbreaking projects such as the Xerox Book and January 5-31, 1969, he set the blue- print for the presentation and dissemination of conceptual practices. Photograph by marion Benoit When Siegelaub’s projects are examined in light and theories of craft. A Ph.D. student at the of the intellectual technologies for organizing École des hautes études en sciences sociales information such as bibliographies, maps, and (EHESS) since 2012 and a research assistant lists, a more complex figure emerges, whose fellow at the Institut national d’histoire de l’art practice is anchored in a Gutenbergian tradition (INHA) in Paris from 2012 to 2016. She is cur- of publishing, while contributing new methods rently writing a dissertation on the pioneering of implementing the dissemination of ideas. exhibition organizer, publisher, and bibliogra- Sara Martinetti is a French researcher and pher Seth Siegelaub. She regularly contributes curator working across various disciplines in- to various academic journals and lectures on cluding art history, anthropology of writing, issues related to textiles.

BIPoD Talks in collaboration with bipod Festival Join us for a series of talks with figures from friday 21 to sunday 23 april the contemporary dance field, programmed auditorium, level -2 by Moultaqa Leymoun. These talks take place in the context of the BIPOD Festival (Beirut free admission International Platform of Dance). Please check our website for the full schedule. Moultaqa Leymoun is a meeting for emerging and established dance artists from Arab countries together with international dance pro - fessionals, critics, and producers. Its purpose is to create a pan-Arab contemporary dance collaborative network that allows for the shar- ing and dissemination of information about the work of Arab dance artists, choreographers, and practitioners.

courtesy of moultaqa Leymoun

9 Film program auditorium, level -2 free admission

aFaC Film Nights A monthly series of screenings showcasing filmmakers from the Arab world, in partnership with the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture (AFAC). The theme of this program is Retrospection, showing films that recall the past and reflect on it using re-enactments.

Screening 1: Fidaï Directed by Damien ounouri, 2012 Wednesday 8 march, 19:00 to 20:30 in arabic with english subtitles Color and black and white, 83’ In Arabic, Fidaï means “the one who dedicates Today, at the age of seventy, El Hadi reveals this his life to a cause.” This documentary revisits one dark part of his life for the first time, helping to man’s memories of being a fighter for Algeria’s ensure this significant phase of Algerian history liberation from French colonialism. Director will not be forgotten. Damien Ounouri’s great-uncle, El Hadi, joined his Damien Ounouri (b. 1982 Clermont-Ferrand, sister in France during the Algerian Revolution, France) completed his studies at the Sorbonne becoming an active member of a secret armed and currently conducts cinema workshops for group of the National Liberation Front. Settling children and teenagers in both France and of scores, attempted murder, hiding, imprison- Algeria. He is the director of the short docu - ment, and finally deportation back to Algeria in mentaries Changping Sonata (2007) and Away 1962, El Hadi’s personal journey tells the story from Nedjma (2009), and the feature-length doc- of countless anti-colonial ex-fighters, and echoes umentary Xiao Jia Going Home (2008), which the current effervescence of the Arab World. screened at numerous festivals.

damien ounouri fidaï (film still), 2012 courtesy of the artist

10 Screening 2: 74 (the reconstitution of a struggle) Directed by raed rafei and rania rafei, 2012 Wednesday 19 april, 19:00 to 21:00 in arabic with english subtitles Color, stereo, 95’ Between March and April 1974, students at the American University of Beirut occupied university offices for 37 days, demonstrating against a tuition increase. Fast forward to 2011, in the midst of the Arab Spring, filmmakers Rania and Raed Rafei decide to step back and reconsider the present situation in the light of the 1970s, a period pregnant with hope, but also a prelude to civil war. With the Lebanese student revolt of 1974 as their starting point, the filmmakers direct an absorbing documentary on the core issues of revolution and democracy. Raed Rafei is a Lebanese filmmaker and multi- media journalist. For the past two years, he has been producing video reports for websites and television stations such as The Global Post and RCN, a Colombian television station. Rania Rafei wrote and directed the short mov- ies Harissa Texas (2004), The Dish (2005), and Manchette (2005). She also directed a documentary for Al Jazeera Kids in 2008. Since 2005, she has been directing documentaries, awareness spots, and music videos about the subject of disability, commissioned by the Special Rapporteur on Disability in the UN.

raed rafei and rania rafei 74 (The reconstitution of a struggle) (film still), 2012 courtesy of the artists

11 pErFormancEs QUarTo: Durational rope in collaboration with bipod Festival Wednesday 26 april, 19:00 to 21:00 museum esplanade free admission Durational Rope is a performative exploration, QUARTO is an artist duo founded in 2003 by in which the artist duo QUARTO use a kilo - Anna af Sillén de Mesquita and Leandro Zappala. meter-long rope to challenge the limits and ca- Based in Stockholm, they live between Brazil pabilities of the human body. In this two-hour and Sweden and collaborate with other artists, performance, the rope is manipulated to gen- researchers, academics, and institutions devoted erate a vocabulary of movement between the to research and development in the arts. body and the rope, articulated through constant motion. The physical exertion, on the verge of the unbearable, gradually peels away notions of body and object, ego and drama.

Photograph by QuArTo

12 spEcial EVEnts La Plume de Pierre Display in partnership with the pierre sadek Foundation 1 march – 13 march 2017 library, level -1 free admission A special display of caricatures produced by the finalists for La Plume de Pierre award, set up by the Pierre Sadek Foundation to promote and showcase emerging talent in the field of caricature. Pierre Sadek (1938-2013) was Lebanon’s leading political caricaturist, depicting with wit and insight the political events of the county and the region. Sadek’s caricatures were daily fixtures on Al Mustaqbal and LBC, as well as in numerous daily newspapers. Throughout his life, he produced over 30,000 caricatures, which together serve as a document of modern Lebanese history from 1958-2013. These caricatures are now safeguarded by the Pierre Sadek Foundation, established in 2013. © Pierre Sadek Foundation

La Nuit des musées organized by the ministry of culture friday 7 april, 18:00 to midnight free admission The Sursock Museum is taking part in La Nuit des Musées, a city-wide event where museums open their doors late into the night. Join us for a long evening of events and activities for all ages. The Museum will be open until midnight, and food and drinks from independent vendors will be available on the esplanade.

13 upcoming Exhibitions Willy aractingi 9 June – 18 september 2017 special exhibitions Hall, level -2 This exhibition departs from Willy Aractingi’s Featuring over 60 paintings, this exhibition is most ambitious body of work, a series of paint- the one of the artist’s few large-scale museum ings illustrating the Fables de la Fontaine, exe- shows. Self-taught, Aractingi is often described cuted in his signature colorful and graphic style. as a naïve painter, a label this exhibition hopes Aractingi worked on illustrating the 244 fables to complicate by shedding light on his process, from 1989 to 1995, and continued working on influences, and career. variations of the works until his death in 2003. This exhibition follows a generous gift by the Aractingi family of 224 of the artist’s paintings.

Willy aractingi le lièvre et la tortue [The Tortoise and the Hare], 2002 oil on canvas, 89 × 116 cm Sursock museum collection

14 calEndar WEDNESDaY 8 marCH FrIDaY 7 aPrIL SUN 23 aPrIL 19:00 – 20:30 FILM PrOGraM 18:00 – 00:00 SPEcIaL EVENT time tbc TaLK aFac Film night: Fidaï la nuit des musées bipod talks

THUrSDaY 9 marCH THUrSDaY 13 aPrIL WEDNESDaY 26 aPrIL 19:00 – 20:30 TaLK 19:00 – 20:00 TOUr 19:00 – 21:00 PErFOrMaNcE swiss art talks: peter pfrunder collection tour Quarto: durational rope an imaginary Country: 19:00 – 20:30 TaLK photography and national arp talks: alia nakhli WEDNESDaY 03 maY identity pan-arab artistic manifestations 9:00 – 17:00 cONFErENcE and the production of narratives mEppi regional conference SaTUrDaY 18 marCH (1970-1980) The photographic legacy of the 16:00 – 17:00 TOUr middle east and north africa: collection tour WEDNESDaY 19 aPrIL priorities for sustainability 19:00 – 21:00 FILM PrOGraM THUrSDaY 23 marCH aFac Film night: 74 (the THUrSDaY 04 maY 19:00 to 20:30 TaLK reconstitution of a struggle) 9:00 – 17:00 cONFErENcE arp talks: said baalbaki mEppi regional conference memories of stones THUrSDaY 20 aPrIL The photographic legacy of the 19:00 – 20:30 TaLK middle east and north africa: SaTUrDaY 1 aPrIL arp talks: sara martinetti priorities for sustainability 16:00 – 17:00 TOUr “Transferred”: seth siegelaub’s FabriK: curator’s tour methods from Conceptual art to THUrSDaY 11 maY With Florian ebner Textile 19:00 – 20:00 TOUr 17:00 – 18:00 TOUr collection tour FabriK: curator’s tour FrI 21 aPrIL With Florian ebner time tbc TaLK bipod talks on ViEW FaBrIK Curated by florian ebner in partnership with the goethe-institut and ifa 31 march – 8 may 2017 Special exhibitions Hall, Level -2 maha maamoun the law of Existence 24 February – 12 June 2017 Twin Galleries, GF

Visit Beirut! postcards and travel guides from the Fouad debbas collection 24 February – 12 June 2017 The Fouad Debbas collection Gallery, Level 1

La Plume de Pierre Display in partnership with the pierre sadek foundation 1 march – 13 march 2017 Library, Level -1

Collection Display a selection of Works from the sursock museum collection collection Galleries, Levels 1 and 2

15 16 Library The Sursock museum library is dedicated to collecting, preserving, and studying local and regional art historical resources. The library holds numerous publications, periodicals, and original archives documenting modern and contemporary art practices in the region and beyond, making it a valuable reference for students, scholars, artists, and curators. In addition, the library hosts temporary displays and public programs, and runs an outreach program. The library also aims at preserving the original archives of galleries, cultural institutions, and artists in Lebanon. These archives will be publicly accessible for consultation and research, and looked after by a team of committed professionals. Open daily from 13:00 to 18:00 Late opening on Thursdays from 13:00 to 21:00 Closed on Tuesdays and Sundays +961 (0)1 202 001 ext. 224 resto Headed by Joanna Debbas, the resto offers an eclectic range of mediterranean dishes made with the freshest seasonal ingredients. Its diverse menu draws on culinary influences from Lebanon, Italy, and Iran, and features traditional mezze with a twist, cherry tomato tart, grilled falafel, and beef fillet with pomegranate sauce. The resto is committed to supporting local farmers and markets. All dishes are prepared using local produce sourced directly from the growers. Open daily from 10:00 to 01:00 Closed on Tuesdays +961 (0)1 200 512 Store The Sursock museum Store is the perfect destination for those seeking a distinctive and comprehensive selection of contemporary art books and gifts. From critical texts to custom-made designer items, the store stocks stimulating volumes about art and artistic practices, in addition to a wide range of souvenirs relating to the museum’s collection and exhibitions. True to the museum’s mission, the store also produces fun and engaging books, games, and educational tools for all ages. Open daily from 10:30 to 18:30 Late opening on Thursdays from 12:00 to 21:00 Closed on Tuesdays +961 (0)1 202 001 ext. 219 Directions greek orthodox archbishopric street, ashrafieh Beirut, lebanon We are located forty meters to the left of the top of the Saint Nicolas stairs, just a few steps away from Gemmayzeh Street (rue Gouraud). admission and opening times Open daily from 10:00 to 18:00 Late opening on Thursdays from 12:00 to 21:00 Closed on Tuesdays Admission to the Sursock museum is free of charge. museum guidelines All galleries and facilities are wheelchair accessible. Please do not run, talk loudly, or otherwise disturb others in the galleries. Please do not touch the works of art on display. Bags and backpacks larger than 45 × 36 × 20 cm should be checked in at the coat-check facilities. You may take non-flash, still photographs in the galleries for personal use only. Food and beverages are permitted in the museum’s esplanade and restaurant, but they may not be carried into the museum. Animals are not permitted within the museum grounds. Please do not smoke in the building. Wheeled devices, including rollerblades, skateboards, bikes and scooters are not allowed within the museum grounds. Please do not throw or toss a ball or any other object on the museum esplanade. Contact us + 961 (0)1 202 001 – [email protected] To stay informed of our upcoming exhibitions and public programs, sign up to our newsletter on www.sursock.museum. Want to learn more about contemporary art and engage with the visitors and activities of the Sursock Museum? You can join the Sursock Museum team of docents by sending an email to [email protected]

@sursockmuseum – #sursockmuseum

16 www.sursock.museum