MARWAN RECHMAOUI
MARWAN RECHMAOUI
Chasing the Sun
March 13 – July 23, 2024
beirut
text MR
Beneath this seemingly joyful atmosphere, Rechmaoui’s works propose a deeper social commentary inspired from Roland Barthes’ essay “Toys”, in which the author argues that toys are essentially a microcosm of the adult world. In other words, childhood play shapes adult identity. In this most recent series, Rechmaoui reflects on his own upbringing, and while he chases back these moments of untainted joy from his youth, he also draws connections between war and play. Suggesting that every game, by designating winners and losers, represents a form of symbolic killing of the latter, he presents several that harbor seeds of violence. Considering Lebanon’s context, it’s not difficult to link the games played by militia fighters during the Lebanese civil war and the ones they enjoyed in their youth.
