For the second year in a row, the Lebanese people are reliving the traumatic mass grief of the Beirut Port explosion, some through words, some in tears, and others through art.
On August 4, 2020, the lives of the Lebanese as well as the foreigners residing in Beirut changed forever as one of the most horrific crimes in Lebanon’s recent history was inflicted upon them.
A tragedy that counts 234+ deaths, thousands of injured, over 1000 still disabled to date and struggling to survive, and millions in financial losses, and yet no justice has been served.
The investigation into this mass murder hasn’t been allowed to reach the truth, continuously interrupted by the interference of ruling officials.
Facing that cemented barricade have been the incessant calls for action, protests, sit-ins, and pleas for an international probe. Anger hasn’t subsided with time as was probably expected by the stalling and the resistance to the investigation.
On the contrary, it has been a faithful companion of the people ever since the explosion. There have been criminal cases intentionally swept under the rug or locked behind bolted doors; not this one though. The Lebanese don’t intend to allow it. Not this time.
With several marches taking place in Beirut on August 4th, the people are reminding the ruling officials of their stance, and artists use their best weapon to express their emotions: Art.
Here are some relevant ones:
By Pascale Azar, captioned “We Will Not Forget.”
From the “Blast” collection of Toufic Melhem:
“The Explosion” by Tagreed Darghouth:
From the “Fireworks” collection of Aram Jughian, a reminder of the components that triggered the Beirut Blast two years ago and the surrounding chaotic destructions:
“On a sidewalk” by Cybelle Moutran in response to the Beirut Blast, a ceramics installation evoking the shattered homes and honoring the victims “and their lives suspended in time” as she says:
This artistic memorial is permanently on display at Beit Beirut, as part of the memory and history of Beirut.
“Missing” by Brandmint:
A very expressing art depicting the shattering explosion by Rita Rizk:
“Remember Their Names” by Elie Fahed:
We will never forget, never forget… We will never truly heal before justice is served.” Artist Mireille Goguikan captioned her painting of the silos and the clock marking the hour and minutes of the Beirut Blast:
“Art participates in building the collective memory,” Mireille Gogukian captioned this other painting of hers depicting the Beirut Port with the destroyed silos:
This illustration by Cyn depicts the killing of justice amid the devastated port, the crime scene:
By Marwa A. Bazzi:
“The time stopped, the talk is over.” by Raja’ Daoud:
By Lena Aydenian:
A tribute to Beirut, by Lana Ghassan Saradar:
