Natural disaster

(part of these illusory utopias collaborative installation)

2021
Reclaimed fabric samples, foam inserts and scraps, fabric scraps

Natural disaster references the Port of Beirut explosion on August 4, 2020, focusing on the visual aftermath of the blast through sculptural assemblage. Various piled blocks made from reclaimed fabric and foam scraps replicate the partially destroyed grain silos and shattered city buildings. A post-apocalyptic diorama of sorts, this three-dimensional applique symbolizes Lebanon’s prolonged decision to raze or preserve the historic grain silos. Memorializing the liminal space left behind, rather than the catastrophic event itself, redirects attention from the inadequate government and toward the potential for Lebanon to rebuild.

Photos by Cecily Brown.