AD Leb concludes Hatem Imam show at Metro Al Madina theatre in Beirut
- 24 Jul 2023
Muhammad Yusuf, Features Writer
Art Design Lebanon (AD Leb), an innovative digital platform and non-profit gallery known for staging exhibitions in unconventional spaces, has concluded a solo exhibition of new artworks by visual artist Hatem Imam (July 13 – 20).
Titled Slumber’s Tongues, the show was held at the newly opened Metro Al Madina theatre in Beirut, Lebanon. Imam’s most ambitious exhibition to date, Slumber’s Tongues featured more than 20 artworks, including large and small-scale new paintings and monotypes, all completed by the artist over the last six months. Utilising intricate scenography techniques that underscores the concerns that have pervaded his artistic process, the show’s elaborate system of display and navigation also featured sound and text elements, site-specific to Metro Al Madina’s architecture.
Imam is a multi-disciplinary artist, designer, musician and teacher who lives and works in Beirut. Slumber’s Tongues is the third exhibition of his work with AD Leb and his fifth collaboration with Annie Vartivarian, who hosted his first solo in 2018. The current exhibition has been specifically designed for Metro Al Madina’s spaces, following the storied venue’s relocation to its new home, and diversifies the theatre’s offerings, which have traditionally focused on music and performance.
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The viewer of Imam’s works confronted an unorthodox system of display and circulation that compelled him to participate in a reflection on process and aesthetic, forcing him to see only one artwork at a time. In this way, Imam defies the conventions of the white cube in which, he states, “paintings rubbing shoulders, sweeping overviews allowing for the immediate identification of motifs, wandering, and ‘optimal’ distance between the observer and the painted surface — are broken.”
In his exhibition, he explained that the painting “forbids distraction” while the space itself does not cater to social interaction, so that what remains is the viewer and the painting gazing at each other. The colours and forms on Imam’s latest body of work swirl in and out of recognition. They are at once sensuous and bold — their lines prompt touch as if they were alive.
Vartivarian, Director of AD Leb, said: “Hatem Imam’s work walks a tightrope between abstraction and figuration, portraiture and landscape that explore the viewer’s relationship with the world around us. His work invites visitors into a mesmerising realm that blurs the boundaries between reality and imagination - and the effect is one of displacement and alienation, both intriguing and unsettling, and so relevant today. AD Leb and Hatem Imam both embrace the notion of pushing boundaries, not only in the artistic process itself, but also in the way art is displayed and experienced. It is through this shared belief that a profound dialogue and engagement with the viewer emerges, forging a connection between the artwork, its environment, and the observers who encounter it. This aligns perfectly with AD Leb’s mission of transcending traditional gallery spaces, allowing art and design to breathe in environments that have their own stories to tell.”
AD Leb is a digital platform and pop-up gallery dedicated to supporting and showcasing the work of Lebanese and international visual artists and designers. Founded by art patron and philanthropist Annie Vartivarian, it is a non-profit organisation that promotes dialogue and supports the creative community of the region. The organisation’s approach to exhibition-making aims to connect artists, designers, cultural practitioners, art enthusiasts, and collectors. Operating as a gallery without walls, it stages exhibitions in alternative and unconventional spaces in Lebanon and further afield. A curated parallel programme of talks, performances, and screenings are aimed to promote a culture of curiosity, creativity, and collaboration.
It is the pilot project of Gaia Fodoulian, who was killed in the Beirut port explosion of August 4, 2020. Gaia’s mother, Annie Vartivarian, is realising this vision as a tribute to her daughter. AD Leb is a not for profit gallery; all profits will go towards the Gaia Fodoulian Association, an organisation that supports and cares for animals in need and provides assistance for animal rescuers. Metro Al Madina is an independent theatre company based in Beirut, Lebanon. Found by Hisham Jaber and a group of theatre enthusiasts, the Metro has produced a voluminous number of shows, ranging from theatre performances, concerts and music shows to musicals, orchestras and cabarets. It hosts performances by guest acts from the local and regional scene. “We like to think we’re promoting a culture of diversity and openness,” say its founders.
Imam (b. 1978) is a visual artist and graphic designer. He is the co-founder of the design agency Studio Safar, the design and visual culture magazine Journal Safar. He holds a BFA in Graphic design from the American University of Beirut (AUB) and an MA in Fine Arts from the University of Creative Arts in Canterbury, UK. He is the also the co-founder of Samandal Comics, and artistic director of Annihaya Records. He has been teaching at the department of Architecture and Graphic Design at AUB since 2007. His work includes print media, installation, photography, video, and painting.
Regarding the latest exhibition, he said in an interview that his work “has always been investigating abstraction and landscape. I’m interested in this idea of creating images of places, because we want to demonstrate a certain relationship or dynamic that exists between us and the place ... There’s a lot of writing about alienation as the condition of generating landscape images or artwork.”