"We were happy, we had people coming to see our show, et cetera, and then suddenly we saw all those [evacuation] messages. We had to close and run away basically. Though Asseily's home and gallery are outside the affected areas, uncertainty befell the city last week as the Israeli military ordered evacuation from multiple neighborhoods, causing major traffic jams as residents fled."
"It's very appropriate. But it's also our story, and it's also our questions today that we're going through. It's so surreal. Marfa' Projects is currently exhibiting works by Lebanese filmmaker Rania Stephan entitled Isn't It About Time, which explores theories of the end of the world in science fiction."
Joumana Asseily, founder of Marfa' Projects gallery in Beirut's Port District, temporarily closed her venue on March 5 amid Israeli bombardment of Lebanon and subsequent evacuation orders that displaced approximately half a million people. The gallery, established in 2015 to showcase regional art, had previously been damaged during the 2020 Beirut port explosion but was renovated and rebuilt. Asseily described the sudden closure as necessary caution, stating she and staff had to "close and run away basically" after receiving evacuation messages. Though her gallery and home remained outside directly affected areas, uncertainty gripped the city as Israeli military ordered evacuations from multiple neighborhoods. Asseily subsequently reopened the gallery and traveled to Paris on a pre-planned work trip. The gallery currently exhibits Lebanese filmmaker Rania Stephan's work exploring end-of-world science fiction theories.
#beirut-gallery-closure #israeli-bombardment-lebanon #art-during-conflict #marfa-projects #cultural-resilience
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