art residency program
Since 2016, MACAM's residency program has provided time and space for diverse artists to interact and focus on their creative work. It offers vast opportunities for artists to familiarize themselves with the dynamic Lebanese art scene and the cultural fabric of Lebanon. The residency is self-directed, allowing each individual to pursue their artistic vision, while also offering practical assistance and networking opportunities.
Venue and Facilities
The residency takes place in the administration building of a disused industrial complex that has been renovated to serve as the museum's guesthouse. Situated on a hilltop overlooking the sea, the guesthouse features a roof terrace and two apartments with five bedrooms spread across two floors. Each apartment includes a spacious living room, a kitchen, and shower/WC facilities. The maximum capacity is five artists.
Additionally, there is ample workspace available outdoors within the expansive factory compound. For indoor workshops, there are enclosed small rooms and a large workshop space. MACAM provides an exhibition space for artists and access to our library. Internet connection is also provided.
Disciplines and Media
The residency welcomes artists working in various disciplines and media, including Sculpture, Visual Arts, Ceramics, New Media, Architecture, Photography, Film Making, and Writing.
Eligibility
Individual artists over the age of 25 are eligible to apply.
Application Information
Applicants should provide a biography that includes exhibitions, projects, residency experiences, awards, and educational background (not exceeding 2 pages). A portfolio of up to 10 works should be submitted in digital format (images in .jpg or .pdf, and videos or sound in .avi or .mp4). Artist's statements should accompany the portfolio works, including details such as title, year, medium, size, and a brief description. A project plan outlining the anticipated outcome after the residency period should also be included. Personal information, such as email/website, address, and phone number, should be provided as well.
Selection
The main criteria for selection are the quality of the applicant's professional practice, the motivation letter, and the willingness to present one's work to other professionals. Applications are reviewed by peers with relevant experience to assess the artistic scope of the applicants' works.
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2023 Duo up!
Diana Bou Salman x Anthony El Khoury
Ali Merhi x Salah Missi
Nestled amidst the backdrop of MACAM's old lime factory and within the museum's walls, collaborative art takes center stage in the "Duo Up!" exhibition, showcasing the talents of Diana Bou Salman, Anthony El Khoury, Ali Merhi, and Salah Missi.
From ceramics to an in-situ installation, the exhibition embodies the creative expressions of four artists who have thrived during their month-long residency at MACAM. Ali Merhi and Salah Missi have seamlessly merged their skills to create the larger-than-life installation "Bey 000," an artistic exploration of the intricate relationship between Beirut and the sea. Meanwhile, Diana Bou Salman and Anthony El Khoury's multidisciplinary artworks harmonize in their shared quest to explore tangible and intangible heritage through urban and domestic environments, as reflected in their project "A Poetical Narrative On Dwelling."
Calendar
• Artist residency of Diana Bou Salman, Anthony El Khoury, Ali Merhi, and Salah Missi at MACAM from August 3, 2023, to September 7, 2023.
• My Imaginary Room led by Diana Bou Salman on September 1, 2023, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the French Institute of Jounieh.
• Opening of the exhibition "Duo Up!" by Diana Bou Salman, Anthony El Khoury, Ali Merhi, and Salah Missi at MACAM on September 7, 2023, at 6:00 p.m. The exhibition ran until October 1, 2023.
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Diana Bou Salman
Diana Bou Salman (b.1997, Paris) holds a master's degree in Architecture. She specializes primarily in set design within the art and cultural sphere, collaborating with diverse institutions and museums throughout France. Blending scenography and architecture, Diana explores the poetic relationship between imagery and space. Through videos and sculptures, she creates narratives that delve into intimate spaces and the concept of belonging. Diana crafts imaginative projections by combining different production methods to realize her artistic vision.
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Anthony El Khoury
Anthony El Khoury is a multidisciplinary architect who explores various themes and theories through experimentation and improvisation with diverse forms and mediums of representation.
His work, both personal and academic, finds reason and inspiration in the observation of presents, situations and contexts.
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Ali Merhi
Ali Merhi (b. 2000) is a Lebanese visual artist based in Beirut. He earned a Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts and Plastic Arts from the Lebanese University in 2022. His artistic portfolio encompasses a variety of forms and mediums, including painting, drawing, and installation. Ali engages with subjects closely tied to Lebanese matters, examining socio-political concerns.
His work has been showcased in both Lebanon and in the Sienna Art Institute residency in Italy.
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Salah Missi
Salah Missi (b. 1992), a Lebanese visual artist, holds a double degree in Architecture (M.Arch) and Fine Arts (BFA). He directs his curiosity toward the Arab world, probing the essence of people’s shared existence, questioning society’s unwritten rules, and exploring the impact of corrupted ruling systems. His work has been exhibited in diverse countries, including Germany, Ireland, Saudi Arabia, and Lebanon. While Salah's primary artistic mediums encompass painting, drawing, and printmaking, his exploration extends beyond these realms as well.
JULY/AUGUST 2023 Crossed Perspectives
Chloé Coomans (Belgium) & elparo (France)
Please welcome Chloé Coomans from Belgium and Elparo from France, MACAM's artists in residence. Thanks to Artemed and in collaboration with Zico House, they will be staying for a month. Keep your eyes peeled for events related to their residency! It is going to be spectacular.
Chloé Coomans works in various mediums, including sculpture, painting, screen printing, printing, ceramics, and video.
Elparo started as a graffiti artist and later transitioned to painting on canvas. Today, he primarily focuses on creating site-specific sculptures.
While these two artists have collaborated on sculpture projects in the past, this residency aims to once again create a dialogue between their artistic approaches, this time exploring different mediums: sculpture and video.
Calendar
• Artist residency of Chloé Coomans and Elparo at MACAM from July 15, 2023, to August 15, 2023.
• Scenic and poetic creation workshop led by Chloé Coomans on August 1, 2023, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the French Institute of Jounieh.
• Presentation and discussion about "Regards Croisés" by Chloé Coomans and Elparo at Zico House on August 7, 2023, at 7:30 p.m.
• Opening of the exhibition "Regards Croisés" by Chloé Coomans and Elparo at MACAM on August 10, 2023, at 6:00 p.m. The exhibition ran until October 1, 2023.
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Chloé Coomans
BELGIUM
Chloé Coomans diversifies her explorations by delving into various disciplines, such as sculpture, ceramics, drawing, painting, screen printing, engraving, video, and installation. Her versatile universe invites us to discover a world with dreamlike dimensions that questions the origins and future of our humanity. It connects us to our universal archaic memory, offering alternative possibilities and resisting trivialization, transforming the violence of our actions into tenderness, even during an intoxicated evening.
Her vocabulary is poetic, engaged, utopian, and universal. It constantly oscillates between love and revolution, innocence and cruelty, silent beauty, and unapologetic ugliness. Revolting against the absurdities and injustices of our world, she becomes incisive, placing weapons on altars, attacking from all sides with Indian arrows, and burning the earth from above. Then, she lays down flowers to soften the hearts, preserving beauty and hope.
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elparo
FRANCE
Self-taught visual artist, elparo grew up in the Parisian countryside. Coming from the graffiti culture, his practice has diversified over the years, initially exploring pictorial art and eventually digging into playing with site-specific volumes and shapes. His artistic journey began with using discarded materials like old boards, furniture, crates, and pallets as the foundation for his creations. Over time, his practice evolved to include diverse materials such as metal, ceramic, collage, manufactured wood, plywood, cork, and branches.
Elparo's art installations have been featured in festivals, artistic journeys, symposiums, and commissions, showcasing his ability to integrate volume and environment, aligning with the concept of land art. Throughout his creative explorations, he continues to embrace the limitless possibilities of artistic expression.
APRIL/AUGUST 2022 The Plastic Age Collapse
Mauricio Yazbek
Lebanese-Brazilian artist Mauricio Yazbek resided at MACAM for four months, from April 3 to August 27, 2022.
On Saturday, August 20, 2022, at dusk, we held a special event to launch Mauricio Yazbek's open-air exhibition “The Plastic Age Collapse".
Mauricio Yazbek showcased large-scale and site-specific art installations in the lime factory adjacent to MACAM.
The outdoor event extended until nightfall, with a DJ set by Ramjahtouré and a spectacular fire show by the collective Jokers.
This evening exhibition was a one-shot event, with light designed specifically for the opening – with the support of Zico House. The exhibition ran until October 15.
Lebanese-Brazilian artist Mauricio Yazbek chose the striking lime factory not only as a backdrop but also as an actor in his project by giving it back a human presence and exploring cognitive aspects of our current daily lives. The lime factory is defunct since the 1980s and was emptied of its machinery. What remains is an intricate and sculptural architecture that the artist – a seasoned prop and set designer – grew fascinated with.