Instead of trying to hide or fix them, a museum in Beirut is literally shedding light on the scars and defects of the paintings, sculptures, and artistic pieces that received their share of damage from the August 4th explosion.
One of the many terrible effects of the Beirut explosion was the significant damage it caused to heritage and cultural sites and buildings.
Villa Audi, a mosaic museum in the heart of the Lebanese capital and one of the badly affected sites, is taking a unique approach to dealing with damaged artworks.
The museum recently unveiled L’art Blessé (The Wounded Art), an exhibition showcasing works deformed during the blast.
The collection is displayed in small rooms playing curated music and passages from Lebanese writing, and positioned in front of mounted lights that highlight their “wounds.”
“The idea was to build the piece of art again without touching it,” Jean-Louis Mainguy, the curator, told The Guardian. “To build it again with music, with Lebanese poetry and literature, and of course the light.”
Sponsored by Banque Bemo and the Audi Foundation, L’art Blessé will remain on display until January 16th.
