I look through my lens and get lost in a dreamscape. Beirut's once glamorous Ottoman and French era palaces and villas bleeding exotic decay. Some sparsely inhabited, others abandoned, left to rot then be demolished- crumbling behind construction fences. These silent witnesses to history, emblematic of Lebanon- with elaborately ornamented balconies, columns and triple-arched stain glass windows now shattered in a haunting interplay between tragedy and beauty. The horror of their demise transcended only by the folly of Beirut's preservation policy.

In this work- I film, photograph and build photo-constructs to amplify the plight of Beirut's one-of-a-kind heritage architecture on the brink of extinction. Not only a loss for Lebanon but mankind as a whole.

Canadian born of Lebanese descent, I first come to Beirut in 2019, looking for the old country in a place I've never been. My aim to find and photograph Beirut's surviving heritage buildings. By chance, I arrive at a time of a civil unrest and political upheaval- tens of thousands of passionate people of all ages and sects marching united in protest of political corruption paralyzing the country.

In the photo constructs, I link the cause of Beirut's surviving heritage buildings to that of the 2019 revolutionaries demanding change.

Using digital tools- a camera, a computer and graphic design software, I photograph then interconnect otherwise fragmented images- people, old buildings and nuances of the street. Piecing them together in a series of assemblages to evoke an essence of Beirut both chaotic and cohesive. Depicting everyday Beirutis, those who personify the soulful character of the city, as a dogged resistance defending Beirut's rich cultural identity. Integrating empathetic faces with architectural details and the rhythms of the street, I build multi-image photo-constructs as if rebuilding the walls of eclectic old houses and neighborhoods. Timeworn walls tagged with modern-day revolutionary graffiti to declare a unified front in solidarity with the 2019 revolutionaries now known as 17 October.

The graffiti authentic from the walls of central Beirut. Revolutionary taggers of all ages, sects and social classes voicing their messages graphically. Words of hope, resistance and rage all in Arabic native to Lebanon. Revolutionary slogans like: Revolt against yourself first- Do not let a fucker with a full stomach tell you to be patient with hunger- And victory is closer than our eyes.

In 2022, I return to Beirut and enter a striking heritage home- a myriad ornate columns and stairwells propping it up. Here, I make a short film- following its owner, Zaki Hasbini, as he journeys from his home to a neighboring one left uninhabitable by the Beirut port explosion- immersing the viewer in a universally relatable truth.

I make this work not only to document and preserve history but also to champion change through art, supporting both the 17 October spirit of reform and preservation activists campaigning to save Beirut's heritage architecture. Lebanese people with little left to lose eke out an existence in a failed state at the abyss- their resilience, courage and desire for political change an inspiration for this work.

With thanks to Sabine Saba and Remie Maksoud in Beirut.

Special thanks to composer Stephen Dewey for scoring the film.