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Lebanese multidisciplinary artist Sama Beydoun unveils her photo film Mother Tongue, a vivid and auditory portrayal of grandmother’s recipes that, to a certain degree, determine our identity and underscore the importance of their transmission.
A country’s identity can be embodied, among other things, in its culinary traditions, especially in the cherished recipes passed down by grandmothers serving as the custodians of a nation’s culinary traditions. These recipes evoke a sense of nostalgia and, to some extent, sentiments of belonging, especially amongst expatriates. This is precisely what Lebanese artist Sama Beydoun has sought to preserve in her photo film Mother Tongue, following her departure to France in 2020.
These “edible tales,” as termed by the artist, represent the culmination of a compilation she amassed during the prolonged period she spent waiting for her French visa. “I waited three months for my visa, my suitcases were packed and my university courses had already begun. I harbored this feeling that I didn’t deserve to leave, yet at the same time, I couldn’t stay due to the escalating situation in Lebanon,” Beydoun explains.
To while away the time and assuage her frustrations, she “captured” her daily life with her family consisting of her mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. As Beydoun recounts, these women frequently talked about food, debating, for instance, the price of zucchinis and their menus for the day. Such conversations are quite common in her family and in our families, she notes.
In a way, they form an integral part of their culture, as they cook while sharing some anecdotes.
The French Chapter
Beydoun continued this venture in France in 2020, after her relocation, as she realized her daily rhythm was punctuated by calls and voice messages from the matriarchal trio concerning cooking. In fact, she incorporated some snippets into her photo film: “Hello, Mom? How do you make your lentil soup?”, “There are two recipes (…),” but there are also several photos of recipes and dishes.
Beydoun further presents photos of her mother and grandmothers. All these elements are displayed, simply, like ingredients that, when combined, form a recipe signifying the culture and communal nature associated with cooking and food.
“I often used food as a pretext to call my grandmothers,” Beydoun reveals. “It was our primary topic of conversation on the phone. I asked them to stay on the line with me to assist me while I prepared the dishes. So, it created a space where we were together, without physically being so, and that’s what I cherished the most. It built a bridge that connected me to my grandmothers.”
A Universal Message
However, Beydoun’s ambitions go beyond her personal experiences, as she seeks to intertwine stories similar to hers and reach out to the diaspora of her native country living the same reality. She embarks on an adventure to meet mothers and grandmothers who have emigrated to Paris. Immersed in the everyday private spaces of these women — their kitchens — Beydoun finds herself once again in the routine she shared with her family back in Lebanon.
“This is a project focused on the bond, on heritage, on this connection we make through food,” she explains. “I also talk about the distance, about leaving, but being able to pack spices, kitchen utensils and all sorts of things we are attached to. Our suitcase reminds us of our immediate environment. I want this message to be universal, for all nationalities to identify with. It speaks of me, as it speaks of you, but also of so many others.”
Beydoun makes no mention of Lebanon in her photo film, as she focuses on moments of exchange and sharing that revolve around food, which allows us to maintain a sensory, gustatory and olfactory connection to our culture.
She first translates this multisensory aspect of the chosen title: Mother Tongue. “I wanted a title that talks about the multisensory, about the fact that these are smells, a space, something you touch, something instantly familiar to you,” she underlines. “Cooking is a language passed down from one generation to the next by our mothers and grandmothers, so it’s a means of communication and above all, a means of bringing together the people I love. That’s what I inherited from my grandmothers. Hence the title Mother Tongue. The nod to Lebanon, without being mentioned, lies in my choice of a title that adapts to the three languages spoken by the Lebanese (Lebanese Arabic; French; English). Participants may express themselves in the language they want, as this too is our identity. It’s like me, and it’s like us.”
This multimedia video, which blends analog and digital photography with voice messages or calls, is a “diasporic narrative” that is both moving and nostalgic. The photo film was broadcast on July 7 among the works of ŒilDeep’s master class in Arles.
The artist’s work can be followed on her Instagram account.