Art Design Lebanon (AD Leb), the innovative digital platform and non-profit gallery known for staging exhibitions in unconventional spaces, announces the first solo exhibition "Life Beyond the Self" including new artworks by Beirut-based artist Christine Safatly, at the historic Mayflower Hotel in Hamra, Beirut, Lebanon.
The show comprises 31 paintings and drawings alongside two new sculptural works, exploring philosophical themes of posthumanism. Through diverse materials including acrylic, oil, pastel, and charcoal, Safatly's practice challenges our misguided belief in anthropocentrism by shedding light on the intricate interplay between humans and other sentient beings, entities often dismissed as lacking any form of intelligence.
She makes her marks on different surfaces such as paper and fabric, but also on found materials such as plastic table covers and rusted bedsheets. She aims to articulate the tangled ecosystems that humans create and appropriate, whether biological or technological.
Christine Safatly stated: "Posthumanism interrogates the notion of separation between the human self and its environment, bridging the mental divide between 'us' and 'them' ".
The exhibition scenography was developed with Safatly’s frequent collaborator Etienne Coppé specifically for the former storage space in the historic Mayflower Hotel in Beirut. The mismatched floor tiling and the austerity of the display fixtures echo the timeless and primordial laboratory space whereby Safatly performs her experiments, whilst evoking the evolution across the ages of humanity’s influence on its habitat.
Annie Vartivarian, Co-founder and Director of AD Leb said: “Since working with Safatly on previous projects, we have been struck by her willful and deeply impassioned approach to art-making. Her remarkable talent and audacity in addressing complicated themes are evident in each work, coupled with her daring artistic techniques that often involve the unexpected use of everyday materials. Art, at its core, serves as a conduit for probing philosophical inquiries, and Christine Safatly's work in "Life Beyond the Self" exemplifies this beautifully.”
About Christine Safatly
Born in Minieh, Lebanon, and now living and working in Beirut, Christine Safatly (b.1992) received her Master’s Degree in Fine Arts from the Lebanese University in 2018, where she specialized in painting, drawing, and sculpture. She was a fellow of Ashkal Alwan’s Home Workspace Program in 2019-20. Her work has been exhibited in the 12th Berlin Biennale, Beirut Art Center, and Art Design Lebanon.
About Art Design Lebanon (AD Leb)
Art Design Lebanon is a digital platform and pop-up gallery dedicated to supporting and showcasing the work of Lebanese and international visual artists and designers. Founded by art patron and philanthropist Annie Vartivarian, Art Design Lebanon is a non-profit organisation that promotes dialogue and supports the creative community of the region.
The organisation’s innovative approach to exhibition-making aims to connect artists, designers, cultural practitioners, art enthusiasts, and collectors. Operating as a gallery without walls, it stages exhibitions in alternative and unconventional spaces in Lebanon and further afield. A curated parallel program of talks, performances, and screenings promotes a culture of curiosity, creativity, and collaboration.
AD Leb is the pilot project of Gaïa Fodoulian, who was killed in the Beirut port explosion of 4 August 2020. Gaïa’s mother, Annie Vartivarian, an art patron, and gallerist, is realising this vision as a tribute to her daughter.
AD Leb is a not for profit gallery, all profits will go towards the Gaïa Fodoulian Association, an organisation that supports and cares for animals in need and provides assistance for animal rescuers.