“Lawen wasel?” A question raised by an approaching van. A pause of uncertainty. Where was I really going? I already found the van as a visually captivating space, so I started sketching it in hopes of finding some answers. I initially sketched the whole van but I ended up focusing on the rearview mirror. Different thoughts and morals were physically manifested as decorative ornaments that hung on those mirrors. Those reflected the driver’s character, and since I was lacking a father figure in my life, I searched for the person I ought to be in those ornaments and reflections in hopes of replacing what I was not given. I later understood that my interest was only there to remind me of some forgotten memories I had with my father when I rode in his van and looked at him in the rearview mirror. What started as a journey of an unusual interest ended up in soul searching. This makes me think of all the stories other people might have experienced like I did, so tell me, Lawen wasel?
“Lawen wasel?” was initially planned for exhibition in 2020 at Galerie Rmeil 392 in Beirut, but the opening was disrupted few weeks before due to the Beirut port explosion. The project was later showcased at ArtLab Beirut, with the support of the British Council Lebanon.
Lawen wasel 2022