Following a presumed conclusion of the civil war in Syria, global management consultancies have urged Lebanon and other regional actors to invest in the country’s industrial and urban reconstruction through their private sectors, inviting architecture studios, businesses, tech startups, and public policy think tanks to design, bid in, and scramble for its people’s futures. The human, material, and cultural devastation in Syria is being framed as a ground zero for transnational firms and necropolitical regimes to experiment in market maximization schemes—a violent disavowal of the hope to build another world, envisioned from Daraa to Rojava, and all the way to the Notre-Dame-des-Landes. These endeavors manifest amidst a global conjuncture characterized by decades of neoliberal austerity measures, rampant financialization, accelerated processes of ecological erosion, and a surge in right-wing identitarianism, prompting us to ask ourselves and one another: How do we safeguard the radical imagination from vanquishing discourses and economies of reconstruction? Where do we nourish spheres of interdependence and autonomy in this sterile night?

The 8th edition of Home Works summons artists, curators, filmmakers, scholars, and writers to partake in worldbuilding. In worldbuilding processes, fabricated elements are woven into authoritative realities, forging the perceptible with the imagined, and reconfiguring dominant models of being-in-the-world. When set against the backdrop of modernity and its failed utopian propositions and legacies of cultural infrastructures, worldbuilding offers an infinite set of configurations for ways to feel, make sense of, and render the world. Communities have long confronted the there and then with the construction of fantastical frameworks, designing speculative paradigms for the future, and drawing blueprints for alternative modes of doing. By convoking the radical imagination and exploring imaginary worlds as forms of knowledge, we break from systematic cycles of injury, precarity, and attrition, and participate in acts of re-enchanting the social relations and natural taxonomies that compose our world.

Image caption: Film still from "The Troubled Bear and the Palace" (2019), Walid Siti, 11 min. Courtesy of the artist.

Exhibitions: I will return, and I will be millions, a group exhibition curated by Nora Razian, with Mona Hatoum, INTERPRT (Nabil Ahmed), Candice Lin, Dala Nasser, Tuấn Andrew Nguyễn, and Jenna Sutela; At the still point of the turning world, there is the dance, a group exhibition curated by Carla Chammas and Rachel Dedman with Chafic Abboud, Yvette Achkar, Etel Adnan, Huguette Caland, Saloua Raouda Choucair, Simone Fattal, Farid Haddad, Helen Khal, Aref Rayess, and Dorothy Salhab-Kazemi; and artist projects and new commissions by Haig Aivazian and Jumana Manna, Mandy El-Sayegh, Jumana Emil Abboud, Peter Eramian, Ali Eyal, Charbel-joseph H. Boutros, Ghida Hachicho, Omar Mismar, and Ho Tzu Nyen.

Talks, panels, and readings, with Marwa Arsanios, Athena Athanasiou, Lina Attalah, Kader Attia, Nishat Awan, Merve Bedir, Daniel Blanga Gubbay, Haytham El-Wardany, Ghassan Hage, Maxime Hourani, Saba Innab, Antonia Majaca, Raafat Majzoub, Sahar Mandour, Khaled Saghieh, Rijin Sahakian, Mohammed Said Ezzedine, Ghiwa Sayegh, Stefan Tarnowski, Françoise Vergès, Marina Vishmidt, Umut Yıldırım, and Ala Younis.

Music, dance, theatre, and lecture-performances, with Deena Abdelwahed; Fatima Al Qadiri; Tarek Atoui with Eric La Casa; Zach Blas; Fehras Publishing Practices; Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige; Rana Hamadeh; Geumhyung Jeong; Ligia Lewis; Lina Majdalanie, Rabih Mroué, and Mazen Kerbage; Umber Majeed; Mochu; Maryam Monalisa Gharavi; Walid Raad; Alice Ripoll and Cie Suave; Mario Santanilla; and Raed Yassin.

Film and video screenings, with Khaled Abdulwahed, Nazlı Dinçel, Alia Farid, Shadi Habib Allah, Randa Maroufi, Arjuna Neuman and Denise Ferreira da Silva, Wong Ping, Roy Samaha, Walid Siti, and Akram Zaatari.

Publication launches and commissions, with Mirene Arsanios and Maryam Monalisa Gharavi, Dubailand and Ahmad Makia, Fehras Publishing Practices, Ali Meer Azimi, and Rasha Salti and Christoph Terhechte.

The talks, panels, and readings program is made possible with the support of Sharjah Art Foundation.
Image caption: Still from "Toy Volcano" (2019), Mochu. Courtesy of the artist.

Agial Art Gallery
63 Abdul Aziz street, Hamra district
Tel.: +961 (0)1 345 213 

Al Madina Theatre 
Hamra Street, Saroulla Building
Tel.: +961 (0)1 753 010/1

Ashkal Alwan Building
Jisr el Wati, Souk el Ahad, Street 90, Building 110, facing Chevrolet Impex Garage
Tel: +961 (0) 1 423 879

The Ballroom Blitz
Harley Davidson building, 1st floor, Sea Side Road
Tel.: +961 76 999 334

Beirut Art Center
Jisr El Wati, off Corniche al Nahr, Street 93, Safe Building, facing Sunday Market
Tel: +961 (0) 1 397 018

Metropolis Empire Sofil
Sofil Center, Charles Malek Avenue, Ashrafieh
Tel: +961 (0) 1 328 806

Mina Image Centre
Stone Gardens bldg, Darwich Haddad St, Port District
Tel: +961 81 281 670  

Monnot Theatre
Université Saint-Joseph St., Monnot
Tel.: +961 (0) 1 202 422

Nicolas Sursock Museum
Greek Orthodox Archbishopric Street, Ashrafieh  
Tel: +961 (0) 1 202 001 

Platform 39
23 Mgr. Ghophrael St., Fassouh, Ashrafieh
Tel: +961 (0)1 339 381

STATION
Jisr el Wati, Souk el Ahad, next to Chevrolet Impex Garage
Tel: +961 71 684 218

Sunflower Theater
Sami el Solh Street, end of Badaro Tayouneh roundabout
Tel: +961 (0) 1 426 869

Image caption: Still from "Toxic Semiotics" (2019), Candice Lin. Courtesy of the artist.

Sub Rosa Assemblages
Marwan T. Assaf Collection
Exhibition Tours:
20 October 2019: 6pm
25 October 2019: 4pm
Address details upon registration.
Registration email: mta@mtacollection.com
Pre-registration is required, as places are limited.  

Jumble of a Wandering Architect
Private art collection walkthrough
with Yola Noujaim
October 21, 2019: 1 pm to 4 pm
Tel: +961 (0) 4 717 999
Registration email: yonoujaim@gmail.com
Pre-registration is required, as places are limited.  

AISHTI FOUNDATION
The Lyrical and the Prosaic
Exhibition by Urs Fisher
October 21, 2019 – October 17, 2020
Aïshti Building, Jal el Dib Highway
Wednesday to Saturday: 11 am to 7 pm
Sunday: 12 pm to 7 pm
Tel: +961 (0)4 717 716 ext. 300
aishti.com/foundation/collection

ARAB FUND FOR ARTS AND CULTURE
Guided tours of the foundation
Prior booking is required due to limited capacity
Sursock Street, Charles Aoun Building, Saint Nicolas Stairs, -2
Monday to Friday: 8 am to 5 pm 
Tel: +961 (0)1 218 901
info@arabculturefund.org
arabculturefund.org

ARAB IMAGE FOUNDATION
Guided tours of the foundation
Booking is required due to limited capacity
October 23 and 25, 2019: 3 pm to 4 pm
4th Floor, Zoghbi Building,
337 Gouraud Street, Gemmayze
Tel: +961 (0)1 569 373
communications@arabimagefoundation.org
arabimagefoundation.org 

BEIRUT ART RESIDENCY
La Vitrine
Photographic Currency
Site-specific intervention  
by Akram Zaatari
September 12 – November 15, 2019
Ground floor, 373 Rue Pasteur, Gemmayze

BEIRUT ART RESIDENCY
Project space
The Left Hand of Darkness
Exhibition by Omar Khouri
September 12, 2019 – January 15, 2020
Youssef El Hayek Street,  
facing Ginette, Gemmayze
Monday to Friday: 11 am to 6 pm
Closed on Saturdays and Sundays
Tel: +961 71 347 540
info@beirutartresidency.com
beirutartresidency.com

DAR EL-NIMER
Iraqisms
Exhibition and event series organised
by Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung – Beirut
October 9 – 26, 2019
America Street, Clemenceau
Monday to Saturday: 11 am to 7 pm
Closed on Sundays 
Tel: +961 (0)1 367 013
info@darelnimer.org
darelnimer.org

DALLOUL ART FOUNDATION
Guided tours of the foundation
Prior booking is required due to limited capacity
Mme Curie Street, White Tower Bldg, 2nd Floor, Qraytem
Monday to Friday: 9 am to 4 pm 
Tel: +961 (0)1 791229
+961 (0)3 514105
info@dafbeirut.org
Facebook: Dafbeirut

LETITIA GALLERY
Highlights
Group exhibition
by Ahmed Al Sheikha,  Ahmed Badry,
Jad El Khoury, Sirine Fattouh, Hatem Imam,  
Radhika Khimji, and Nathaniel Rackowe
September 19 – October 28, 2019
Tour de Saroula Building, Hamra
Monday to Saturday: 11 am to 7 pm
Closed on Sundays
Tel: +961 (0)1 353 222
letitiagallerybeirut.com

GALERIE TANIT- BEYROUTH
On a Shore Exhibition
by Ghassan Zard
September 19 – November 15, 2019
Ground Floor, East Village Building,
Armenia Street, near EDL, Mar Mikhael
Monday to Friday: 11 am to 7 pm
Saturday: 12 pm to 5 pm
Closed on Sundays
Tel: +961 (0)1 562 812
espacekk@gmail.com
galerietanit.com

MARFA’
Radical Grounds
Exhibition by Paola Yacoub
September 19 – December 27, 2019
1339 Marfa’ (Port) District
Tuesday to Friday: 12 pm to 7 pm
Saturday: 2 pm to 6 pm
Closed on Sundays and Mondays
Tel: + 961 (0)1 571 636
info@marfaprojects.com
marfaprojects.com 

SALEH BARAKAT GALLERY
Untitled Exhibition
by Nabil Nahas
September 12 – October 24, 2019
Justinian Street, Clemenceau
Monday to Saturday: 11 am to 7 pm
Closed on Sundays
Tel: +961 (0)1 365 615
info@salehbarakatgallery.com
agialart.com

SFEIR-SEMLER GALLERY
Natq
Exhibition by Lawrence Abu Hamdan
August 29, 2019 – January 4, 2020
Tannous Building, 4th Floor, Street 56
Sector 77, Karantina
Tuesday to Saturday: 11 am to 6 pm
Closed on Sundays
Tel: +961 (0)1 566 550
beirut@sfeir-semler.com
sfeir-semler.com

GALERIE JANINE RUBEIZ
Art in Another Language
Exhibition by Farhad Ahrarnia
September 19 – October 24, 2019
Ground Floor, Majdalani Building,  
Charles De Gaulle Avenue, Raouche
Monday to Friday: 10 am to 7 pm
Saturday: 10 am to 5 pm
Closed on Sundays
Tel: +961 (0)1 868 290
info@galeriejaninerubeiz.com
galeriejaninerubeiz.com

Image courtesy of Fehras Publishing Practices.

Ashkal Alwan Board of Trustees
Zaza Jabre, Robert A. Matta, Carla Chammas, Hoor Al Qasimi

Exhibitions Guest Curators
Carla Chammas and Rachel Dedman, and Nora Razian

Ashkal Alwan Team
Director: Christine Tohme, Assistant to the Director: Edwin Nasr,  Production Manager: Mohammed Abdallah, Office Manager: Zeina Khoury, Home Works 8 Coordinator: Thourayya Kreidieh, Production Coordinator: Lara Saab, Librarian: Nadia El Ali, Concierge: Safuan Halabi

Home Works 8 Team
Hospitality & Logistics Assistants: Maya Chami, Raseel Hadjian, Digital Communications Coordinator: Bassem Saad, Production Assistants: Hussein Nassereddine, Ghida Bahsoun

Technical & Production Team
Exhibition Design Consultancy: Maroun Lahoud Architecture, AV Consultancy: Takwin Digital, Artists' Projects Assistants: Nesrine Khodr, Jessica Merjaneh, Veda Thozhur Kolleri, Technicians: Mohamad Ali, Mohamad Farahat, Ahmad Hafez, Farah Nabulsi, Salah Eissa, Eyad Al Sheikh, Mazen Ammari, Ali Salameh, Baris Dogrusoz, Kıymet Daştan, Roy Daher, Agata Cieślak, Sound: Fady Aswad (Seedback Audio), Backstage & Wardrobe: Nourhan Fakhoury

Brochure Team
Visual Identity & Design: PenguinCube, English to Arabic Translation: Mohammed Abdallah, Arabic Editing: Youssef Bazzi, English Editing: Edwin Nasr

Publications Design
Fehras Publishing Practices, Farah Fayyad, Hussein Nassereddine,  Karine Wehbé, and Moylin Yuan