Vie sur Vie by Nadim Karam, at ESA Business School
Seventeen monumental sculptures by the great Lebanese artist Nadim Karam, magnifying a green setting in the heart of Beirut. This is what visitors admired at the Vie sur Vie exhibition, inaugurated on Friday May 10, 2024, in the Henry and Nadège Obegi gardens at ESA Business School.
The works on display invite visitors to reflect on the interconnection between two series of sculptures, To Be or Not to Be and Urban Bouquets. Drawing on his experience in a region where the specter of war is omnipresent, Nadim Karam explores existentialism through his humanist fiber tinged with absurdity. The materials and compositions of To Be or Not to Be suggest that at the heart of existential struggle lies an opportunity to find meaning in the forces that disturb us, while Urban Bouquets offer a necessary respite from the weight of contemporary realities. During the opening ceremony, organizers and partners described this magnificent event as an ode to life, creativity and resistance.
Nadim Karam.
In his speech, Maxence Duault, Managing Director of ESA Business School, explained the significance of hosting such an event on the Campus of this academic institution of excellence. “This exhibition allows us to affirm our deep conviction, at ESA, that art and education are essential pillars of human progress. In this School, where we train the leaders of tomorrow, we do not just pass on technical and theoretical knowledge, we also and above all cultivate critical thinking, aesthetic sensitivity, and the ability to grasp the depths of contemporary issues”, he declared.
Riad Obegi, President of Bemo Bank, a partner in the project and a major supporter of Lebanon’s art and culture sectors, emphasized the lucidity of the artist, but also the hope instilled by his productions: “If Nadim Karam is a little disillusioned and is not fooled by the picture he paints for us, he nevertheless keeps the faith that between the rubble and the smoke, the seeds of hope will end up giving trees that will climb to the sky and bring stars down from it”.
To conclude, Nadim Karam addressed the hundreds of personalities present, explaining his work, which exudes humanity and creativity: “This series of works, now exhibited in the gardens of the ESA Business School, is fundamental for me because it represents a turning point in the evolution of my sculptural work. Throughout my career, I have constantly sought to promote creativity as a means of resistance against the destructive forces that surround us. These works have absorbed the very essence of Beirut. They require our full attention, as they invite us to perceive beyond their simple physical presence, into the depths of their substance. They seek out existence in its unfiltered essence. They emanate from the human condition in times of genocide, war, agony, sadness and confusion”.
The speakers also thanked Libano-Suisse Assurances and Ixsir for their collaboration.
Vie sur Vie continues at the ESA Business School Campus, in the Henry and Nadège Obegi gardens, open Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, until July 26, 2024.