LEBANON: Photography exhibition Lebanese-Brazilian photographer Lamia Maria Abillama showcases the daily lives of Lebanon's politicians

Record ID: 431428

  • Title: LEBANON: Photography exhibition Lebanese-Brazilian photographer Lamia Maria Abillama showcases the daily lives of Lebanon's politicians
  • Date: 23rd January 2014
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) LEBANESE-BRAZILIAN PHOTOGRAPHER, LAMIA MARIA ABILLAMA, SAYING: "The idea came from the reality we are seeing now in Lebanon. What are we seeing? We are seeing a failed political life, the country is deteriorating in all aspects: economical, financial, civil, political and security. We can see the deterioration and my idea is to go closer to the people who have run the country for 30 and 40 years; to uncover them. Who are the people governing the country in such a way that it is deteriorating? The revelation is the most important idea. Where is the revelation? On television? Surely not, because they show their true self, so the idea was to go their houses to their homes, because there they show their true selves."
  • Embargoed: 7th February 2014 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Lebanon
  • Country: Lebanon
  • Topics: Entertainment,General,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVADBZ7FS9JTSMBZ98K3EILG1PI6
  • Story Text: A photography exhibition in Beirut has captured some of Lebanon's most well known faces in settings that audiences may find unusual.
    Lebanese-Brazilian photographer Lamia Maria Abillama sets out to capture an intimate glimpse of Lebanese politicians in the comfort of their homes, away from their professional lives and the media spotlight.
    Abillama's work entitled "Your Excellencies" went on display at the Tanit Gallery, recently launched in Mar Mikhael street in the capital. It brings together portraits of 48 Lebanese leaders, including prime minister-designate Tammam Salam, former president Emile Lahoud and President Michel Suleiman.
    The project which has taken around seven years to put together got off to a slow start, with the photographer spending 20 days every two years on it, but Abillama says her work took on a new urgency near the end spurred by the politics in Lebanon.
    "The idea came from the reality we are seeing now in Lebanon. What are we seeing? We are seeing a failed political life, the country is deteriorating in all aspects: economical, financial, civil, political and security aspect. We can see the deterioration and my idea is to go closer to the people who have run the country for 30 and 40 years; to uncover them," Abillama told Reuters TV on Thursday (January 23).
    "Who are the people governing the country in such a way that it is deteriorating? The revelation is the most important idea. Where is the revelation? On television? Surely not, because they show their true self, so the idea was to go their houses to their homes, because there they show their true self," she added.
    Displayed between two red stripes the photographs, some of which look like paintings, symbolically replace the cedar tree in the Lebanese flag, explained the photographer. Abillama says the struggle for power by political figures is at the centre of her work and says her favourite piece in the exhibition illustrates this.
    "The photo I personally liked the most is that of Patriarch Sfeir, firstly because we see him with his back turned and when the back is turned there is more tension in the photo, with you trying to see his face but unable to see it and so there is a pressure. Then you see the Patriarch looking at this chair - the chair that is in the hall - you see it as symbol of what? Of power. That is why I love this photo a lot, because just as he is looking at this chair - a symbol of power - so is everyone in this showroom; fighting for the chair, for power," said Abillama.
    The photographer said she feared her image of President Michel Suleiman, seated at the presidential palace in Baabda and with a large Lebanese flag looming in the background, failed to capture the intimacy she hoped to achieve. But Abillama appeared pleased with the rest of her works, which also feature late Lebanese veteran politician and journalist Ghassan Tueni, who died in 2012 and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri among others.
    The exhibition which opened on Dec. 5, 2013 will come to a close on Saturday (January 25).
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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