Serotonin, Benzine and a Renegade Body

Serotonin, Benzine and a Renegade Body, displayed at Marfa’ Projects in Beirut, reflects on personal and communal trauma, curated in response to the Beirut port explosion. Running from 27 September to 7 December 2023, the exhibition featured multimedia works by Ahmad Ghossein that encapsulated the chaotic essence of life in Beirut.

A series of installations and video works weave a narrative of resilience and despair to evoke a range of sensory experiences. The exhibition emphasizes the importance of space in minimalist art, with each artwork isolated to allow viewers to engage with the purity of its form without distraction. These pieces utilize minimalistic and everyday elements to represent significant and complex narratives about life in Lebanon, inviting contemplation and emphasizing the deeply personal yet universally accessible experiences of this contemporary Lebanese artist.

At the entrance, the three gallons of gasoline, made of resin, speak in a familiar vocabulary to those with a direct connection to Lebanon (fig. 1). The gallons stand out for their materiality and representational significance. Usually associated with danger and toxicity, these everyday objects transform into something safe to touch and observe closely, allowing visitors to explore their texture and form in ways typically prohibited by their conventional use.

This interactive nature breaks down traditional barriers between the artwork and the observer, fostering a more personal connection with the themes it represents. The tactile engagement makes issues of scarcity and preservation more immediate and impactful, transforming the viewer from a mere spectator into an active participant and deepening their understanding and relationship with the work. In this context, touching the resin gallon becomes a metaphorical act, symbolizing the engagement with something usually untouchable and highlighting the artwork's commentary on the socio-economic conditions that have rendered such a common object both precious and perilous.

In keeping with this interactive spirit, the exhibition also features a map of Beirut that visitors can stand on, introducing another layer of engagement (fig. 2). This piece, a work that responds to an earlier artwork by Marwan Richmaoui titled Fragments from Beirut (2019), explores whether it is an evolution, a conversation, or a departure from the previous work. In this new version, the city’s building blocks and neighborhoods are fragmented and disintegrating, mirroring the current state of Beirut as perceived by the artist. This immersive experience invites the audience to literally step onto the map, offering a unique perspective that brings them closer to the conceptual and physical landscape of Beirut, further highlighting the city’s fragmentation and the ongoing challenges it faces.

For Lebanese viewers, objects like the devalued Lebanese lira or maps of Beirut darkened and dissected evoke immediate and visceral reactions. These items, so intimately connected with daily struggles, communicate the chaos and desperation felt by many. The exhibition resonates deeply with Lebanese visitors, stirring a blend of nostalgia, sorrow, and recognition. The raw materials used— currency, casted gasoline gallons, and a map of Beirut made out of rubber—are not just artistic media; they are also the very material of everyday reality, imbued with layers of personal and collective significance.

On the exhibition's website, Ghossein has written a detailed artist's statement.¹ It offers insights into the emotional and physical toll of Lebanon's socio-economic crises. Ghossein's statement provides a gateway into his emotional and creative processes and serves as a crucial narrative background, transforming viewers from mere observers to participants in a shared experience of the city.

Ghossein uses his platform to articulate daily challenges and directly channel these experiences into his art. His discussion of themes like economic instability, which manifests tangibly in his piece How to Make Your Money Sell, allows the artwork to act as both a commentary and a physical embodiment of financial despair. Similarly, the video work The Pit (fig. 3) captures the psychological toll of ongoing crises in a narrative form, incorporating personal anecdotes and national news to reflect broader societal impacts.

This method of creating art as a reflexive response to daily hardships highlights Ghossein's commitment to addressing, processing, and documenting the complexities of life in Beirut through his creative practice. It provides viewers with a deeper context for understanding the emotional and thematic layers embedded in each piece, standing as a testament to individuals confronting ongoing adversity.

Serotonin, Benzine and a Renegade Body offers a reflection on contemporary Beirut. The exhibition goes beyond merely cataloging tragedies, delving into what it means to endure and resist in a city facing profound challenges. Ahmad Ghossein and Marfa’ Projects play a crucial role in shaping the ongoing conversation about Beirut's socio-political issues. Ghossein’s artistic methods, which blend performance and installation art with traditional documentary techniques, turn his pieces into vibrant participants in the dialogue about resilience and vulnerability. This exhibition urges us to engage with the intricate tapestry of human emotions and the strength required to persist through continuous adversity.