The Roles of Betweenness: Visual Narratives by Lebanese and Palestinian Contemporary Artists

This dissertation explores the visual-narrative works of six Lebanese and Palestinian artists, emphasizing their unique artistic expression shaped by a state of "betweenness"—a lived experience between Lebanon or Palestine and Europe. Through film and multimedia installations, the artists convey stories rooted in their cultural heritage, engaging with existing narratives and constructing counter-narratives that challenge dominant historical perspectives. 

The research investigates how this "betweenness" influences the artists' works, focusing on the interplay between their biographies and visual storytelling. It highlights the artists' dual engagement with local (Lebanese or Palestinian) and international (European) contexts, revealing how their transnational experiences shape their narratives. Six case studies—featuring artists such as Lamia Joreige, Joana Hadjithomas, Khalil Joreige, Marwa Arsanios, Jumana Manna, Jumana Emil Abboud, and Inas Halabi—form the core of this inquiry, showcasing technical and thematic affinities that underscore broader artistic and social urgencies. 

The dissertation addresses key contemporary issues, including the role of European art institutions in presenting these narratives and their responses to geopolitical events. It situates the artists' works within the "documentary turn" in visual arts, exploring how they translate historical realities into compelling visual narratives. Ultimately, this research underscores the importance of art as a medium for social dialogue, offering alternative perspectives on neglected histories and contributing to a deeper understanding of cultural complexity in polarized societies.

 

Short Biography

Giacomo Paci studied Philosophy in Milan and Art History in Venice, enriching his academic journey with semesters abroad in Clermont-Ferrand, Oslo, and Paris. His research primarily focuses on the presence of narrative elements in contemporary visual arts. Currently based in Cologne, he is a member of the DFG-Graduiertenkolleg 2661: "anschließen-ausschließen" – Kulturelle Praktiken jenseits globaler Vernetzung.

 

Email: giacomopaci1gmail.com

 

Teaching Activity: 

- Seminar: Visual arts in the Mediterranean today. History, politics and contemporary issues of the sea from the perspective of the artworld (WiSe 2023-2024)

 

Conferences: 

- Conference Presentation: Traces of past and future in the artworks of Palestinian and Lebanese contemporary artists Jahrestagung des GRK „anschließen-ausschließen“ at the University of Cologne 30.11.-02.12.2023 · December 1, 2023

- Conference Presentation: Ecological practices in the art of Jumana Emil Abboud and Marwa Arsanios Brismes 2023 Conference Ecology, Crisis, and Power in the Middle East Panel 5E: The Climate Crisis in Arts and Literature · July 3, 2023

- Conference Presentation: Challenging dominant narratives: the depiction of the Druze community in Israel/Palestine in Inas Halabi’s We No Longer Prefer Mountains Centre for Palestine Studies at SOAS - 9th Annual Graduate Student Research Seminar · June 15, 2023

- Conference Presentation: Preserving indigenous memory through art: Palestinian folktales and water springs stories in the work of Jumana Emil Abboud The Second International Conference of Graduate Students in the Social Sciences - Birzeit University · November 19, 2022

- Conference Presentation: A Tale of Two Plants: Jumana Manna’s Foragers (2021) and the artistic representation of contrasting narratives in Israel/Palestine 34. Deutscher Orientalistentag 12.-17.09.2022 Freie Universität Berlin 100 Jahre DOT · September 14, 2022

- Conference Presentation: Imagining alternative futures. Migrations in Yael Bartana's art. An Interdisciplinary Conference on Dislacement, Emplacement, and Migration, 24-26 June 2022 · June 25, 2022

- Conference Presentation: A Tale of Two Plants: Jumana Manna’s Foragers (2021) and the artistic representation of contrasting narratives in Israel/Palestine, Centre for Palestine Studies SOAS Eighth Annual Graduate Student Research Seminar 4 - 5 May 2022 · May 4, 2022

 

Publications: 

- Inas Halabi’s We No Longer Prefer Mountains (2023). Creating an Artistic Counternarrative within the Druze Community in Israel/Palestine through Oral History and Fukeiron Methodologies Cinéma & Cie. Film and Media Studies Journal · August 2024

- Imagining Alternative Futures: Migrations in the Art of Yael Bartana University of Bamberg Press · February 2024