Arts Organizations in Beirut Are Closing in Solidarity with the Millions of Lebanese Protesting the Government

For the sixth straight day, demonstrators in Lebanon have taken to the streets in a historic protest of government corruption and mismanagement. Schools, banks, and other establishments throughout the country have closed in recognition of the movement, and now arts organizations are following suit.

Museums, galleries, and foundations in the capital city of Beirut have closed their doors indefinitely as a gesture of solidarity with the protesters.

“Like everyone else in Lebanon, we took to the streets,” a representative for Dar El-Nimer, a prominent art foundation in the city, told artnet News. “We believe in this uprising and stand by its demands as Dar El-Nimer is devoted to showcasing cultural and artistic productions which are committed to rightful causes reflected in today’s protests. Moreover, it is our duty to stand in solidarity with fellow institutions which collectively demonstrate that art is not detached from the sociopolitical reality of the country.”

 

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In light of the protests, Beirut Art Center will remain closed until further notice. . Stay strong and stay safe! . #beirutartcenter #beirutprotests #beirut #Lebanon . Photo · @idirani · @daralmussawir

A post shared by Beirut Art Center (@beirutartcenter) on Oct 19, 2019 at 1:58am PDT

The protests, the largest to take place in Lebanon in over a decade, began last Thursday when the state proposed a new tax for calls placed through internet apps, including WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Apple’s FaceTime. Though lawmakers quickly withdrew the proposal, crowds on the street continued to grow as the protests turned to larger issues such as government corruption, the decay of public spaces, and the country’s sizable debt.

Estimates suggest that the protests have drawn more than two million citizens—one third the size of the entire country’s population.

 

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We do not regret to inform you that Ashkal Alwan is indefinitely postponing all programmes and events scheduled to take place from October 17-27, 2019 as part of the 8th edition of Home Works: A Forum on Cultural Practices. The launch of this edition of Home Works has once again been overwhelmed by the very forces that had initially led to its inception in 2001. Lebanon is witnessing spontaneous popular uprisings, bent on targeting our current regime and its security apparatuses, as well as toppling sectarian discourses and their hold on public life. Artistic and cultural institutions and initiatives are in no way isolated from broader civic, political, economic, and ideological contexts, but rather shaped as a result of and in response to historical events and their repercussions. This edition of Home Works initially called on participants to partake in acts of collective world-building, suggesting pathways to re-imagine social relations as they currently stand. Then, it seemed pertinent to echo the region’s manyfold attempts at dismantling inherited structures of the past and designing alternative blueprints for the future, from Sudan to Syria, and from Algeria to Iraq. Today, it is our turn. In the past week, we have actively participated in mass protests and general strikes, closely monitored the situation as it was unfolding, and consulted with friends and colleagues from the legal, academic, journalistic, and artistic-cultural sectors to decide on the best way forward. Our conclusion: there shouldn’t be any reason to regret or apologize for the indefinite postponement of our programmes and events. Our artistic, intellectual, and organizational energy will be redirected towards the achievement of our hopes and aspirations, the possibility of which is being granted to us by a momentum that should be seized at any cost. See you on the streets.

A post shared by Ashkal Alwan (@ashkal_alwan) on Oct 21, 2019 at 6:31am PDT

Other arts enterprises that have halted business include the Sursock Museum, the Beirut Art Center, ARTLAB, Sfeir-Semler Gallery, and Galerie Tanit. Ashkal Alwan, a non-profit space for contemporary art, has canceled its triannual exhibition and symposium program, Home Works 8.

“There shouldn’t be any reason to regret or apologize for the indefinite postponement of our programs and events,” the organization said in a press release. “Our artistic, intellectual, and organizational energy will be redirected towards the achievement of our hopes and aspirations, the possibility of which is being granted to us by a momentum that should be seized at any cost.”

The statement, shared on Instagram, ends with a call to action: “See you on the streets.”

Source: Artnet News