Beirut – An Identity Adrift
By Hatty
Pedder
The Mojo
Gallery
09
September 2013
She is
full of contradictions. She is complex and confusing. Both charming and
selfish. Consistently unpredictable she will lure you and repel you. Make you
feel disillusioned and and then equally exhilarated. She can fill you with all
manner of frustrations but never fails to envelop you in her unique embrace.
She is
Beirut.
Home to a
perplexing mix of Sunni Muslims, Shiite Muslims, Maronite Catholics, Greek
Orthodox, Greek Catholic, Armenian Christians, Protestants and Druze, each
trying to hold on to their individual identities as small groups of East
Asians, Pakistanis, Sri Lankans, Africans, Arabs, Europeans and North Americans
float in the ever shifting layers in between.
Beirut is
as complicated as it is vibrant. And it is at this intersection of complexity
and chaos that British artist Hatty Pedder starts her journey of investigation,
interrogation, and interpretation of a society endlessly wrestling with it's
own identity. Or lack of.
A
question of identity that seems to be forever in a state of flux. Never quite
able to truly form. A schizophrenic personality constantly suffering the
consequences of historical internal divisions, on-going external manipulations
and never ending hidden agendas. All mixed in with a large dose of rampant
consumerism, kitsch, nostalgia, indifference and a 'everyman for himself'
attitude. A fascinating and intriguing subject for an artist to explore and
express.
Hatty's
relationship with her subject evolved over time from one that was both
intimidating and overwhelming to one that is spontaneous, easy going and
appreciative. The show’s title ‘Khosh Bosh!’ is a Lebanese slang phrase that is used to describe a
relationship with out inhibitions or protocol and captures the spirit and
unique tone of the exhibition perfectly.
Through
the use of her unique multi-layered visual techniques, Hatty deconstructs and
rebuilds distinctive and insightful narratives that attempt to expose moments
and slices of life in this city full of stories.
The
artist's investigative journey is instinctive, emotive and fresh. And given the
use of her trademark vibrant colour palette, the body of work at first glance
might seem bright and cheerful. But beneath the surface we encounter subtle and
sometimes not so subtle references to an array of socio-cultural issues and
contemporary conflicts that today define the mood and mindset in this coastal
city. From it's obsession with plastic surgery, designer brands and religion to
it's lawlessness, lethargy and ongoing lack of electricity.
Hatty's
eclectic body of work attempts to penetrate the multi-layered dynamic that has
made Beirut such an enigma for so long. She holds an interpretive mirror up to
a city where fragmentation and contradiction form an unsettling foundation upon
which it's inhabitants build their lives with a spirit that endures.
Beirut,
a city belonging to everyone and nobody.
photos: stylemongertv
HATTY PEDDER
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