Untitled Document

Hadith : Conversation

Hadith: Conversation - Hadith [ Etymology: Arabic Hadith a narrative record of the sayings of Muhammed]; Conversational - Hadithi; Converse - Dod; To converse with - Hadith; to happen, take place, occur - Hadath; to be new recent or novel - Haddath; to narrate, tell - Haddith; event, incident - Hadith; to talk about, speak of -Tahaddath; to talk together, converse - Tahadoth; Novelty, innovation - Hadathon; Misfortunes of life - Hedthan; Newness, recency; novelty - Hadatha; Happening, occurence, taking place - Hadouth; New, rececnt, novel - Hadith; Conversation - Mehadatha; Talk, rumour - Ishaa; Narrative, story - Hikaya; Young, juvenile - Alsin; Town-talk - Alkawn; stuff and nonesense - Khoura; light conversation - Sair;

26th January - 22nd April 2006

installation views gallery Sfeir-Semler, Beirut

left: William Kentridge right: Robert Barry	left: Daniele Buetti right: William Kentridge	overview Sophie Calle	overview Philip-Lorca DiCorcia

left: Moataz Nasereldin right: Daniele Buetti	left: Moataz Nasereldin right: Daniele Buetti	overview Mona Hatoum	overview Rabih Mroué

Hadith is the Arabic translation of Conversation. But it carries many other meanings, such as: talking, conversing, rumor, new, recent and novel. The etymology of the word dates back to the sayings of the prophet Muhammad. The idea for this show is also inspired by a specific cultural tradition in the Arab world, where art is based, since centuries, on words, on storytelling and not on pictorial figurative images.
Following this approach, we invited western and middle eastern artists who use words in their conceptual work and create art pieces as story tellings. They all do work in very different styles and mediums (installation, video, sculpture, photography, light and painting).
We would like to thank all artists who are taking part in this exhibition for accepting our invitation to Beirut.
All participants are worldwide important artists:

Robert Barry
Daniele Buetti
Sophie Calle
Bert De Beul
Philip-Lorca DiCorcia
Mona Hatoum
William Kentridge
Rabih Mroué
Moataz Nasereldin

more about the artists...

Robert Barry

Wall piece, Vinyl letters,
variable dimensions, unique

Daniele Buetti

installation view	installation 200x300cm, unique	Untitled, 2001 lightbox, 70 x 97 x 10 cm

Untitled, 2004 lightbox, 160 x 120 x 10 cm	Untitled, 2004 lightbox, 160 x 120 x 10 cm	Untitled, 2004 lightbox, 70 x 50 x 10 cm

Sophie Calle

installation view	Le dé, 1999, multiple, 7 x 7x 3,5 cm wood, leather, satin an bone, Ed. 250	Los Angeles, 2002,artist’s book installation,31x25cm, 53pages	Une jeune femme disparait, 2004, framed photos&text,each 64x 80 cm

Une jeune femme disparait, 2004, framed photos&text,each 64x 80 cm	Une jeune femme disparait, 2004, framed photos&text,each 64x 80 cm	Une jeune femme disparait, 2004, framed photos&text,each 64x 80 cm	Une jeune femme disparait, 2004, framed photos&text,each 64x 80 cm

Bert de Beul

installation view	Untitled, 2004 Oil on canvas, 80 x 96 cm	Untitled, 2005 Oil on canvas, 62 x 74 cm

Untitled, 2005 Oil on canvas, 74 x 62 cm	Untitled, 2006 Oil on canvas, 74 x 62 cm	Untitled, 2004 Oil on canvas, 80 x 96 cm

Philip-Lorca DiCorcia

installation view	untitled, 1992 Photography, 76 x 101 cm	untitled, 1992 Photography, 76 x 101 cm	untitled, 1992 Photography, 76 x 101 cm

untitled, 1999 Photography, 76 x 101 cm	untitled, 1999 Photography, 76 x 101 cm	untitled, 1995 Photography, 70 x 95 cm	untitled, 1993, Photography, 70 x 95 cm

Mona Hatoum

Over My Dead Body,1998 Inkjet on PVC 204,5x305cm, Ed.4/6	Rugs made in Egypt, 1998-99, 11 hand-woven wool rugs, 2nd ed. 519 x 241 cm	Set in Stone, 2002, 20 x 6 x 14cm Edition of 30	Fine Stoneware in 2 parts, 1998 5,5 x 24.5 x 14 cm Edition of 30

Rugs made in Egypt, 1998-99, 11 hand-woven wool rugs, 2nd ed. 519 x 241 cm	Every door a wall, 2003, Inkjet print on voile, 200 x 400 cm	Video Still "Measures of Distance", 1988, color video, sound, 15 min	Video Still "Measures of Distance", 1988, color video, sound, 15 min

William Kentridge

Video Stills from "Tide Table", 2003, B&W Video Animation, Sound	Video Stills from "Tide Table", 2003, B&W Video Animation, Sound	Video Stills from "Tide Table", 2003, B&W Video Animation, Sound	Video Stills from "Tide Table", 2003, B&W Video Animation, Sound

Video Stills from "Tide Table", 2003, B&W Video Animation, Sound	Video Stills from "Tide Table", 2003, B&W Video Animation, Sound	Video Stills from "Tide Table", 2003, B&W Video Animation, Sound	Video Stills from "Tide Table", 2003, B&W Video Animation, Sound

Rabih Mroué

Self Portrait as a fountain, 2006, Lightbox, 85 x 130 cm	Leap into the void, 2006, Lightbox, 85 x 130 cm		installation view

Conversion, 2006, Inkjet mounted on board	installation view	installation view	installation view

Moataz Nasereldin

installation view	"The Echo", 2003, 2 Video Channel 4: 29 min, Ed.of 5	installation view	installation view

Insecure, 2006 (set #2), Photos, sun-print on cotton Paper, 70x100cm	Insecure, 2006 (set #2), Photos, sun-print on cotton Paper, 70x100cm	Insecure, 2006 (set #2), Photos, sun-print on cotton Paper, 70x100cm	Insecure, 2006 (set #2), Photos, sun-print on cotton Paper, 70x100cm