The Italian Cultural Institute is happy to present the exhibition “The Milky Way House” by the artistic duo Antonello Ghezzi (Nadia Antonello and Paolo Ghezzi), open to the public from April 29th till May 27th, at Beit Beirut.
A brief foreword to the exhibition:
We are all citizens of the same galaxy, the Milky Way Galaxy.
In the heart of Beirut at Beit Beirut, we have set up shop of the main Milky Way House/Beit Darb el Tebbeneh. The Beit is informative and inclusive. We declare our united institutional home by raising the Flag of the Milky Way, both at the summit of Beit Beirut for all to see, and within the building proper for visitors to observe. Our collage of the night sky shares glimpses from all over the world of how our sky appears to us with the stars at nighttime. This is another reminder of our shared experiences.
Technology has advanced in such a way that we can also listen to the sound of the cosmos. In order to highlight these subtle noises, our LED light strip shines brightly at the fall of each shooting star, offering a visual and audio experience of the cosmos.
At Beit Darb el Tebbeneh, we invite the audience to participate and confirm their citizenship. The Lost Dream Office allows the opportunity of writing down and sharing our individual lost dreams. The Registry Office offers the chance to formalize the citizenship of the Milky Way Galaxy for every visitor; he or she may write their names and stamp the document. These two public performance works of art involve the audience directly with the project as well as uniting us all on an emotional and intellectual level.
And finally, Tying the Earth to the Sky creates an ethereal vision that literally connects our earth to the heavens. This part of the project exudes in symbolism and magical experiences.
Beit Darb el Tebbeneh at Beit Beirut is a multi-sensorial project with a range of artworks, including conceptual, emotive and public performance art. The message of the project is clear; it is a strong call to help us see one another without divisions, without borders. We will feel united, in our humanity and in our existence.
Maie El-Hage, curator & art historian