Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige
Latent Images | 1997-2006
3 C-prints of 47x58 cm each and 38 Digital prints of 33x43cm each . Ed.4/5 +2 AP
"Latent Images" is the last part of the Wonder Beirut project.
The three images of the drawers represent part of the rolls of films shot by the photographer Abdallah Farah but not developed yet.
Since the war years, when he was often short of products, fixatives and most of all paper, he stopped developing his films, being content with taking the pictures. The rolls piled up, he felt no need to reveal them.
Even today, although the situation has improved, he still does the same.
If he does not develop the rolls, he nevertheless documents each photograph he takes in a small notebook. He describes it minutely. His pictures can therefore be read, giving free rein to the reader’s imagination. He defines this work as “the invisible image” or “the image in the text”; we prefer calling it “Latent images”.
Reference JHKJ-ISO-1997-D(1-41)
Biography of the artist
Born in Beirut, Lebanon. 1969
Works and Lives in Paris and Beirut
Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige collaborate as filmmakers and artists, producing cinematic and visual artwork that interwine. For the last 15 years, they have focused on the images, representations and history of their home country, Lebanon and questioned the fabrication of imaginaries in the region and beyond.
Together, they have directed documentaries such as "Khiam" 2000-2007 (2008) and "El Film el Mafkoud" (The Lost Film) (2003) and feature films such as "Al Bayt el Zaher" (1999) and "A Perfect Day" (2005).
Their feature film, "Je Veux Voir" (I Want to See), starring Catherine Deneuve and Rabih Mroue, premiered at the Cannes film festival in 2008. The French critics Guild chose it as Best Film Singulier 2008.
Their films have been multi awarded in international festivals and enjoyed releases in many countries.
They have created numerous photographic installations, among them "Faces", "Lasting Images", "Distracted Bullets", "The Circle of Confusion", "Don’t Walk", "War Trophies", "Landscape of Khiam", "A Faraway Souvenir" and the multifaceted project "Wonder Beirut".
Their artworks have been shown in museums, biennials and art centers around the world, in solo or collective exhibitions and are part of important public and private collections, such as Musee d’art Moderne de la Ville de Paris; FNAC France; the Guggenheim, New York; the Centre Georges Pompidou, France; V & A London, the Sharjah Art Foundation, UAE, etc. They are recipients of the 2012 Abraaj Capital Art Prize with "A Letter Can Always Reach Its Destination" and won the price Marcel Duchamp, 2017 for their work "Unconformities" (2017).
In 2012 they presented their feature documentary "The Lebanese Rocket Society", the strange tale of the Lebanese space race » and a series of artistic installations around the space project of the 60's.
They are the authors of numerous publications and university lecturers in Lebanon and Europe, members of the board of Metropolis Cinema, and co-founders of Abbout Productions with Georges Schoucair.
To view all the texts related to this artist in the section
archive of texts click here