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Ahmad Ghossein is set to unveil his distinguished solo exhibition, Serotonin, Benzine and a Renegade Body, opening on September 27 from 5 PM to 8 PM at Marfa’. This gallery, a luminary in Beirut’s intricate tapestry of contemporary art spaces, will be open for visitos from Monday to Friday between 11 AM and 6 PM, on Saturdays from 2 PM to 6 PM and can also accommodate visits by appointment.
Ahmad Ghossein, the artist behind the solo innovative exposition, delves into the conceptual impetus and contemplative underpinnings of Serotonin, Benzine and a Renegade Body.
Transcending turmoil
In a haunting exploration of strife, an artist walks through the fragmented ruins of Beirut, articulating the profound impact of the sustained crises since 2019 on both individual and collective consciousness. The artist’s journey unearths a profound struggle, a dance between the mind and body under a crumbling reality, a silent scream enveloped by Beirut’s rancid air and tarnished streets.
The artist’s intention
The artist lays bare the complex and intricate relationship between the body and the mind amidst unprecedented challenges. The poignant detailing of waves overwhelming the being seeks to expose the intricate dance between resilience and surrender, between despair and the unceasing pulse of existence. The body, portrayed as a formidable deity, constantly battles against the mind’s melancholy reflections, imposing its mechanical limits and pushing individuals to the brink of their endurance.
The reflection of reality
In the chaotic vestiges of Beirut, the artist’s perception oscillates between the throbbing pain inflicted by relentless events and an eerie attunement to the city’s rhythm. The vivid illustrations of the city’s palpable panic, fueled by fuel crises, economic collapse and relentless instability, are meticulously interwoven with the artist’s personal state of heightened anxiety and struggle for sanity.
The dialogue with the past
The exploration takes a dialogue, perhaps a dispute, with previous works like Marwan Rechmaoui’s Beirut Caoutchouc, reflecting a city that is now fragmented and disintegrating. The current exhibition seems to be an evolving response, with building blocks and neighborhoods imperceptible, fragmented, reflective of Beirut’s current state.
Connection with the external turmoil
The artist translates the external turmoil into a personal journey, portraying how deeply individual beings are intertwined with their environment. The collapse becomes an intimate affair, with every fluctuation in the city’s pulse mirrored in the heartbeats of its inhabitants. The personal narratives, anxiety, despair and the relentless attempt to preserve fragments of joy, become symbolic of the collective experience of a city in disarray.
An endeavour to preserve
The journey also reflects an endeavor to preserve memories, to latch onto the tangible remnants of a rapidly morphing reality. The artist’s attachment to seemingly surreal events or news seems to be a desperate attempt to anchor oneself in the storm, to find a semblance of meaning or reflection in the chaotic, ever-shifting sands of time.
The blurred line between reality and fiction
The blurred delineation between fiction and reality in the exhibition emphasizes the surreal nature of the experiences recounted. The collapse of the collective sense of reality in the aftermath of traumatic events like the Beirut port explosion is mirrored in the fragmented recollections and the intertwining of real and imagined narratives. This thin boundary is illustrated in the tale of the fragmented artwork Beirut Caoutchouc, where the scattering of pieces, the shattered remnants, symbolize both the literal and metaphorical fragments of a shattered city.
This insightful exhibition emerges as a poignant reflection on the intertwined destinies of the individual and the collective, revealing the relentless struggle between despair and resilience, between the tangible and the transient. It unveils the intense dialogue between one’s being and the disintegrating environment, weaving a tapestry of fragmented realities, surreal experiences and the unyielding pulse of a city and its inhabitants, bound together in their shared dance with destruction and hope.
About Marfa’ Projects
Established in 2015 by Joumana Asseily, Marfa’ Projects has cultivated a fertile ground for the cultivation and exhibition of concept-driven projects, weaving synergies with local and regional artists. Rooted in the Marfa’ neighborhood — pertinently named after the Arabic word for port — its proximal relation to the city’s customs house renders it a strategic locus for artistic discourse. Asseily’s profound connection with the independent non-profit art scene in the city has allowed Marfa’ to emerge as a bastion of artistic innovation and conversation.