Disintegration
Who we are today; citizens of Beirut, has nothing to do with whom we were before the 4th of August, 2020, at 18h08mn.
Beirut is trying to recover from an apocalyptic blast. A blast that no one can ignore or turn a blind eye to. As its consequences are far too violent. Beirut has lived through many wars and attacks, got destroyed several times and yet this blast took things to a whole different level.
Our city’s history eradicated, along with its fabrics and stories.
All that make us and define each one of us simply vanished.
Memories ripped away in 38 seconds.
Beirut is trying to recover from an apocalyptic blast. A blast that no one can ignore or turn a blind eye to. As its consequences are far too violent. Beirut has lived through many wars and attacks, got destroyed several times and yet this blast took things to a whole different level.
Our city’s history eradicated, along with its fabrics and stories.
All that make us and define each one of us simply vanished.
Memories ripped away in 38 seconds.
Disintegration / Making Of
Acknowledging the 38 seconds.
Stretching 38 seconds over 120 hours:
120 nails,
5 grided plates, each plate nailed 24 times, according to a grid. Meticulously and very accurately. from full expansion to maximum reduction.
Get a sketch book, cut it in two. combine them as one. Prepare the plates to be dipped in ink.
Stamp normalcy
Stamp livelihood
Stamp excitement and vibrant life
Stamp identity
Stamp expansion
Stamp a testimony of life
Stamp a testimony of interactivity
Stamp and press hard equally with both hands, make sure not to trespass the limit
Pause
As we need to mourn
Pause
As we need the scar
Stamp
As we need not to forget
Stamp the absence
As we need not to stay in trauma
Stamp the absence
As we need not to have a memorial.
Stamp the absence
As we need to count our losses.
Stamp until your hands bleed
Don’t stop
Don’t surrender
Cherish the scar
As we need to move on
Stamp the disappearance
As we need time to meet the ghost
A different city will emerge
The citizen’s rights to the city is “far more than the individual liberty to access urban resources: it is a right to change ourselves by changing the city” (Harvey, 2008).
The time has come for a transitional space.
Stretching 38 seconds over 120 hours:
120 nails,
5 grided plates, each plate nailed 24 times, according to a grid. Meticulously and very accurately. from full expansion to maximum reduction.
Get a sketch book, cut it in two. combine them as one. Prepare the plates to be dipped in ink.
Stamp normalcy
Stamp livelihood
Stamp excitement and vibrant life
Stamp identity
Stamp expansion
Stamp a testimony of life
Stamp a testimony of interactivity
Stamp and press hard equally with both hands, make sure not to trespass the limit
Pause
As we need to mourn
Pause
As we need the scar
Stamp
As we need not to forget
Stamp the absence
As we need not to stay in trauma
Stamp the absence
As we need not to have a memorial.
Stamp the absence
As we need to count our losses.
Stamp until your hands bleed
Don’t stop
Don’t surrender
Cherish the scar
As we need to move on
Stamp the disappearance
As we need time to meet the ghost
A different city will emerge
The citizen’s rights to the city is “far more than the individual liberty to access urban resources: it is a right to change ourselves by changing the city” (Harvey, 2008).
The time has come for a transitional space.
Concept, Text and Models: Rana Haddad.
Production: Rana Haddad, Soraya Hammoud.
Production: Rana Haddad, Soraya Hammoud.