ON A LIGHTER NOTE...

This, I find  funny, so I thought I'd share it with you guys

Since Lebanon is never in the World Cup, we live vicariously though other countries and support them.. and it can get pretty funny and violent at the same time....

Germany is one of the most supported countries, and this is  a collection of photographs taken in Beirut Last year after Germany won 4-0 in a match against Argentina in the World Cup.... it got pretty crazy in Beirut...

 They blocked the roads for fireworks and the burning of the Argentinian Flag....

Some Things of Interest

FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORT IN BEIRUT:

This is a mapping project that our friend at the university, Mira Mortada, worked on last year. She compared taking the van (usually regarded as the fastest, and yet most dangerous mode of public transport in Beirut) to when he mother would drive her to university. She included a traffic meter, and stops and switches she would make, etc. She also added in a few comments that van passengers or her mom would say while on the way. (You will notice those in Arabic on the map...) 

I found it much better to understand when it was printed, but it's like A1, so maybe you print it in a smaller size or something for practicality.....

here's the link:
http://yourmediafiles.net/content/nZX53fja9fvA8KYVAWp6/Final+Map.pdf

FOR RACIAL DISCRIMINATION AND XENOPHOBIA IN BEIRUT, in the particular case of migrant domestic workers from The Philippines, Sri Lanka, Ethiopia, and other countries:

This is a report I just submitted for a course I was taking in university. It is a report about migrant domestic workers and the human rights violations they face in Beirut, and it particularly deals with their use of public space. This introduces Lebanon's history with these workers, and explains their current conditions. Towards the end, the report becomes kind of a proposal for a project to make people aware of these issues.

Let me know if you have any questions, please, I did a lot of research on this matter, and I's be happy to answer any questions you have.

here's the link:
http://yourmediafiles.net/content/9JGhBMRgVEpVh1VpJb43/LeenCfinalproposal.pdf




FOR GENTRIFICATION:
I'm scanning in an article about a neighborhood in Beirut which has recently become a "hip" creative hub... I'll have it on here by tomorrow....

 hi everyone

we saw an exhibition of a Palestinian artist's work...

"Born and bred in Sabra refugee camp, 1983, Beirut, Abdulrahman Katanani is a young artist whose work is noted for its intensity in portraying a vivid recollection of stories amassed throughout the years that initially depict the tragedy and hardships endured at the camp. Through his work, he is delivering the camp’s message of resistance and endurance using tools from the camp that resonate happiness, apathy, empathy, tears and joy. His creativity is exemplified in his artworks representing a deeply felt compassion, dramatic and lively, devoid of any rigidity."

check out this link if you're interested:

http://www.agialart.com/exhibition.html

- ps. too much beirut on this blog we will start posting more berlin!

Fighting Amnesia

Hi everyone! This is a reading that discusses the issue of uncovering the truth about all the people that went missing during the civil war in Lebanon. 

http://yourmediafiles.net/content/jyf1XofBW8cl9HjXIQpn/Fighting_Amnesia_Ways_to_uncover_the_truth_about_Lebanon.pdf

I hope this information can inform some of your projects..and if not, well it's still a wonderful reading. 

Fete De La Musique

Beirut has taken a new step in Public Performances!

As part of the annual music festival (Fete De La Musique), this year the organizers have constructed 7 open air stages on public space (side-walks, city centers, malls, etc). The stages feature local bands that play live and you can watch them absolutely for free! All the stages were being played in simultaneously and Beirut was filled with music.

I went yesterday to one of the concerts. The stage was constructed on a main street called Hamra, right on the side-walk, so they were playing and people were stopping to watch and cars were passing behind them. It was AWESOME! You can check out the photos on the link below. There are 4 albums you can look through :)

http://www.beirut.com/ThingsToDo/Festival-Music/Fete-de-la-musique-Beyrouth-2011/9364/Media

Also, I'm trying to attach the poster of the event but it's not working. You can see it here:

http://www.plus961.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Fete-fe-la-musique-Lebanon-poster.jpg

ok so apparently you can't download pdfs.

on behalf of all technologically ignorant people, we thank lena for introducing us to yourmediafiles.net

green space reading:
http://yourmediafiles.net/content/pYCvwhONJYUVfu4D02yJ/horch beirut reading - public green space.pdf


and also two readings about belly dance and orientalism (lena, this might help you for your project)


http://yourmediafiles.net/content/8b4Hu3uv9CBuihQV10tH/Dancing Around Orientalism.pdf

http://yourmediafiles.net/content/Hexlox0aVsIunFlr9LGx/Belly Dance - Orientalism_ Exoticism_ Self Exoticism.pdf

Installation in the Piccadilly Theater

The installation consists of 6450 m of VHS tape. It starts from the point on the stage where it is believed that the fire started and expands to take over the balcony and loggia of the theater creating the different visual experiences based on your position in the theater and the amount of light you use. 

*This was done in collaboration with Thuraya Kraydieh, and with the help of Aya Al Bawwab, Baraa Yakzan and Ghaith Abou Ghanem, as part of a Design in Theater class with Cornelia Krafft.

The Piccadilly Theater in Hamra

A cultural center in Beirut during the 60’s and 70’s, the theater is now in a dormant state. Audiences once filled the 800 red velvet seats crowding the entrances to attend magnificent shows, some of which were for the famous Fairuz and the Rahbani brothers as well as Magida El-Roumi, Adel Imam and Dalida. Now, however, the seats are filled with the ashes and dust after the fire (in 2000) that destroyed the theater, the blackened stage is deathly quite as even the once glistening chandelier is black with ash and dust. 

The theater was built in 1962 by architect William Sidawi, the building offered many facilities and was fully equipped to keep a fast paced organization running smoothly. Today, it is not the case, the theater is abandoned and there are no aims of reviving it!

hi everyone

we went to a public space intervention in sassine square in east beirut. It is a very busy intersection in a highly congested area. The intervention was to put grass patches on some areas of the concrete where people can sit, eat, drink, play, like a park! It was a very interesting experience because it was a very small piece of land that was turned into an area where the public can interact and communicate for a day. Also, it was surrounded by passing cars, shops like starbucks that are private and lots of big franchises. People who did not know what was going on would pass by and get flyers and information about the cause for public green space. Word spread about it mostly through facebook and everyone was asked to bring something green with them to make it more like a park - potted flowers and plants, dogs, picnic baskets, games, music...etc. But I think that it is also interesting to see in the pictures the reaction of some people who may have found this idea foreign and were not so comfortable, for example just standing on the side and watching. Also you can see that the authorities were watching to make sure no boundaries were crossed. Here are some pictures, as well as a reading about 'horch beirut' the only big park in beirut that could be turned into public space but isn't. (sorry the reading is messy, its actually a thesis by a student in aub - i had to scan it in!)

okay im trying to post the pdf im not sure how to do it! please let me know if it works!
file:///Users/MacBookPro/Desktop/horch%20beirut%20reading%20-%20public%20green%20space.pdf