What does it mean to be Lebanese and alive at this very moment? To be Lebanese and be able to live as an outsider, far away from the chaos.
Lebanon has been experiencing crisis after crisis. As a result of years of corruption and fiscal irresponsibility, the Lebanese pound took a major dive and lost 80% of its value plunging the country into a deep economic crisis with a combination of recession and stagflation. In response, hundreds of thousands took to the streets demanding their social and economic rights and asking for an end to political injustices. In the midst of the protests, an explosion at the port of Beirut stripped close to 100,000 Lebanese families from their homes, caused a massive spike in the COVID outbreak as the injured flooded unprepared hospitals greatly increasing the magnitude of the crisis. Lebanese citizens became victims of political oppression,economic crisis and an uncontrolled COVID outbreak leading to extreme loss of lives, livelihood and pain.
As these events took place, powerful images flooded social media, through stories or posts, as a Lebanese citizen, I was surrounded by strong imagery. By constantly being exposed to all this content, it sparked the idea of using raw and unfiltered photography,taken by the Lebanese citizens in their darkest moments,revealing the trauma and sorrow of heartbroken citizens. To make-up of intuitive combinations, that aim to encapsulate the series of tragic events that have taken place, to mirror the never ending distressed caused to the Lebanese citizens, because the subject itself is too intense, and beyond one’s grasp.
I have chosen these two spreads to reveal the thought process behind the decisions of imagery and symbolism that expressed a visual narrative. I went through a lengthy process to determine the appropriate compositions: first I began reordering the spreads, shuffling the photographs within the spreads and pondering on their content.
On the left side of the composition, I aimed to illustrate a relational juxtaposition between both images, as if one photograph completes the other. On the right side of the composition, my purpose was to depict an abrupt distinction that clearly divides the spread. I have deliberately resolved to have these two spreads sequentially follow each other to add depth, quality and character to the visual narrative.
On the left side of the composition, I aimed to illustrate a relational juxtaposition between both images, as if one photograph completes the other. On the right side of the composition, my purpose was to depict an abrupt distinction that clearly divides the spread. I have deliberately resolved to have these two spreads sequentially follow each other to add depth, quality and character to the visual narrative.
The visual narrative is printed in a newspaper format, given that this project is intended to reach a vast crowd, a newspaper layout is a symbol of the power of media in dispersing news, distributing information, prompting a call for action.My main audience are non-Lebanese thus I plan to distribute my visual narrative here in the US, hoping that this could ignite powerful emotions, moving closer to a just society.
The goal of my project is to provide comfort to countries suffering from corruption and pain as Lebanon is not the only country crying for help. I envision my book living among the people and taking new up forms. I hope that my visual narrative could relate and empower all the different hurt counties, devastated citizen, hopeful people in need of encouragement for a call for action.