Queer Masculinities in Akram Zaatari's Lens-Based Artworks By Elia Eliev A thesis submitted to the

353 Pages·2017·8.95 MB·English

Unruly Acts: Queer Masculinities in Akram Zaatari’s
Lens-Based Artworks

By Elia Eliev

A thesis submitted to the
Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the
Doctorate in Philosophy degree in Women’s Studies

Institute of Feminist and Gender Studies
Faculty of Social Sciences
University of Ottawa

© Elia Eliev, Ottawa, Canada, 2018
Doctoral Committee Members

Dr. Andrea D. Fitzpatrick
Associate Professor, History and Theory of Art
Department of Visual Arts
(Dissertation Advisor)

Dr. Lori Burns
Full Professor and Director
School of Music

Dr. Florian Grandena
Associate Professor
Department of Communication

Dr. Jakub Zdebik
Assistant Professor, History and Theory of Art
Department of Visual Arts

Dr. Laura U. Marks
Grant Strate University Professor
School for the Contemporary Arts
Simon Fraser University
(External Reader)

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Table of Contents

Dedication .....................................................................................................................v
Abstract ...................................................................................................................... vi
Acknowledgements .................................................................................................... vii
List of Figures ............................................................................................................. ix
List of Abbreviations .................................................................................................. xv

Introduction ..................................................................................................................1

Topic .........................................................................................................................1
Study Objectives ...................................................................................................... 16
Key Terms ............................................................................................................... 21
Masculinities ..................................................................................................... 21
Queer ................................................................................................................ 23
Key Questions ......................................................................................................... 26
Hypothesis ............................................................................................................... 26
Relevance ................................................................................................................ 28
Theoretical Framework ............................................................................................ 39
Methodological Framework ..................................................................................... 34
Summary of Chapters .............................................................................................. 40

Chapter One
1. Post-Civil War Beirut: Art Scene and Gender Norms .......................................... 44
1.1. Beirut’s Contemporary Art Scene: Then & Now ............................................... 46
1.2. Issues of Censorship: The Case of Let It Be (2008) ........................................... 56
1.3. Theoretical Conceptions of Arab Masculinities ................................................. 62
1.4. Gender Norms in Today’s Lebanon ................................................................... 67
1.5. Masculinities and Sexual Practices .................................................................... 72
1.6. Conceptualizing Homosexuality in Lebanon and the Arab World ...................... 75
1.7. A Note on Language and Terminologies ........................................................... 80

Chapter Two
2. Gender Performativity in Hashem El Madani’s Studio Shehrazade ..................... 88
2.1. The Arab Images Foundation (AIF)................................................................... 90
2.2. Hashem El Madani and his Studio Practice ....................................................... 93
2.3. The Madani Project (1999 – ongoing) ............................................................. 103
2.4. Zaatari and Appropriation ............................................................................... 106
2.5. Gender Differences in the Photographic Studio Portraits of The Madani Project
.............................................................................................................................. 113
2.5.1. Agency in Strife: Wife of Baqari, 1957, (2007) ...................................... 113
2.5.2. Wondering Moments: Same-Sex Kissing Scenes ................................... 118
2.6. Archival Practice ............................................................................................. 134
2.7. Towards a Queer Reading of the Archive ........................................................ 138

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Chapter Three
3. Hidden Voices, Unruly Bodies: Speaking within Metaphors in Majnounak (1997)
................................................................................................................................... 143
3.1. Majnounak [Crazy of You] (1997) ................................................................... 147
3.2. The Emergence of Video Art in Lebanon ........................................................ 150
3.3. Why Video Art? ............................................................................................. 153
3.4. Video Art as a Tool of Representation and Subversion in Zaatari’s Works ...... 155
3.5. Rape Culture and the Pornographic Imagination in Majnounak ....................... 161
3.6. Queer Moments in Majnounak ........................................................................ 180

Chapter Four
4. Opaque Expressions: Un/Disclosing Queer Identities in Al-ilka al-hamra (2000)
and Shou Bhebbak (2001) ......................................................................................... 190
4.1. Al-ilka al-hamra (Red Chewing Gum) (2000) .................................................. 195
4.1.1. (Queer) Acts: Fellatio & Exchange of Money ........................................ 202
4.1.2. Hesitations ............................................................................................ 203
4.1.3. “The Shadow Boy” Figure..................................................................... 204
4.1.4. The Red Chewing Gum ......................................................................... 207
4.1.5. The Colour Red ..................................................................................... 209
4.1.6. Disgust .................................................................................................. 211
4.2. Shou Bhebbak (How I Love You) (2000) .......................................................... 217

Conclusion ................................................................................................................ 234

Figure Appendix ....................................................................................................... 246

Video Transcripts ..................................................................................................... 283
A.1. Majnounak [Crazy for you] (1997) ................................................................. 283
A.2. Al-ilka al-hamra [Red Chewing Gum] (2001) ................................................. 292
A.3. Shou Bhebbak [How I Love You] (2001) ......................................................... 297

Bibliography ............................................................................................................. 308

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I dedicate this dissertation to my mother Sika Eliev
for her constant support and unconditional love.
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Abstract

Keywords: Contemporary art, Art history, Postwar Lebanon, Gender, Masculinities,
Sexuality, Akram Zaatari, Arab Image Foundation, Queer.

Over the past decade, scholarly works have examined the plurality and diversity
of men in relation to social practices of Arab cultures, while also examining discourses
of violence, militarization and hegemonic masculinity in times of war and conflict.
However, there has been little discussion and critical literature concerning non-
heterosexual (or queer) representations of masculinities in the Arab world. Within such
context, this dissertation addresses the emerging and shifting visual representations of
‘queer’ masculinities as they are artistically performed in the contemporary lens-based
artworks of internationally recognized Lebanese artist Akram Zaatari. Much of the
research on queerness in the Arab region risks falling into a colonialist and liberatory
framework that seeks to discover an ‘authentic’ queer identity. Contrary to such
approaches, I argue for the fluidity of a local queer Arab model of disidentification
underpinning Zaatari’s artworks, which questions our perceived realities of both
queerness and hegemonic masculinity in Post-Civil War Lebanon. Taking an
interdisciplinary approach that integrates cross-cultural comparative and queer visual
analysis, I locate Zaatari’s artworks within a larger sociocultural context, as well as
within and in tension with existing feminist and contemporary art discourses on the
body, identity, and performativity. By examining visual and textual representations of
local queer masculinities, this dissertation engages in dynamic discussions on the
process of masculinization and elaborates on its future cultural and artistic trends both in
the Arab world and in Western countries.

vi
Acknowledgements

I would like to express my sincere thanks to my advisor, Dr. Andrea D.
Fitzpatrick. You have been an incredible mentor for me. I am extremely grateful for
your patience, insightful feedback, valuable guidance, and consistent encouragement. I
also thank you for your research and career advice. It was truly an honor to have worked
under such a bright, funny, and sensitive individual. I also want to express immense
gratitude to my committee, Dr. Lori Burns, Dr. Florian Grandena, Dr. Jakub Zdebik for
their continued support and encouragement. I am grateful to Dr. Laura U. Marks (Simon
Fraser University) for graciously agreeing to be my external reader; I benefited greatly
from your knowledge and feedback.
Thank you to the faculty members at the Institute of Gender and Feminist Studies
for opening my eyes to new feminist theories, approaches and pedagogy, while also
challenging my critical analysis. Many thanks to Margot Charbonneau and Sylvie
Thériault, Operations Coordinators, for their generous emotional and technical support.
A warm thanks to the extremely helpful team at the Arab Image Foundation in Beirut,
Lebanon and Heure Exquise: Centre international pour les arts vidéos in Lille, France
for providing me with unlimited access to resources during my fieldwork. I would also
like to acknowledge and thank the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
(SSHRC), the Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) and the Foundation Baxter & Alma
Ricard for their financial support.
I am thankful to Professor Catherine Quéloz, Dr. Liliane Schniter, and the entire
support team from the Critical Curatorial Cybermedia Research-based program at the
Haute École d'art et de design à Genève for inviting me to participate and share my
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research process during their many Pre-doc seminars. Furthermore, I would like to thank
all my dear friends, who supported and motivated me to reach my goals.
This dissertation would not have been possible without my family’s patience,
love, and constant encouragement every stage of my journey. Your support continues to
carry me through. To Babo, Diado, Yaya, tante Sylvie, Kaya, and Sacha: thank you for
showing great interest and helping me through difficult times both emotionally and
financially. I also thank my father, Marc, who passed away during my Ph.D. You
provided me with some invaluable knowledge regarding life. I miss you very much.
I truly want to convey a very special thanks to Kourosh G.-E. who spent
countless nights guiding me with his incisive ideas and consistent encouragement, and to
my dear Alexandru who was always by my side. Last but not lease I am especially
grateful to my mother, Sika, for all the sacrifices she has made for me. I would not have
made it this far without you.
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List of Figures

Figure 1: Akram Zaatari. “Hashem El Madani. Studio Shehrazade [1].” Instagram, 9
January 2016. Photograph. 14 April 2016. ................................................ 258

Figure 2: Akram Zaatari. “Hashem El Madani. Studio Shehrazade [2].” Instagram, 9
January 2016. Photograph. 14 April 2016. ................................................ 259

Figure 3: Akram Zaatari. “Hashem El Madani. Studio Shehrazade [3].” Instagram, 9
January 2016. Photograph. 14 April 2016. ................................................ 260

Figure 4: Akram Zaatari. “Hashem El Madani. Studio Shehrazade [4].” Instagram, 9
January 2016. Photograph. 14 April 2016. ................................................ 261

Figure 5: Akram Zaatari. “Hashem El Madani. Studio Shehrazade [5].” Instagram, 9
January 2016. Photograph. 14 April 2016. ................................................ 262

Figure 6: Akram Zaatari. “Hashem El Madani. Studio Shehrazade [6].” Instagram, 9
January 2016. Photograph. 14 April 2016. ................................................ 263

Figure 7: Akram Zaatari. “Hashem El Madani. Studio Shehrazade [7].” Instagram, 9
January 2016. Photograph. 14 April 2016 ................................................. 264

Figure 8: Akram Zaatari, Anonymous, South Lebanon. 1952. Hashem el Madani. From
Objects of Study/The archive of studio Shehrazade/Hashem el
Madani/Studio Practices. Photograph, gelatin silver, print on paper, 19,1 x
29,0 cm, 2007........................................................................................... 265

Figure 9: Akram Zaatari, Anonymous, South Lebanon. 1952. Hashem el Madani. From
Objects of Study/The archive of studio Shehrazade/Hashem el
Madani/Studio Practices. Photograph, gelatin silver, print on paper, 19,1 x
29,0 cm, 2007........................................................................................... 266

Figure 10: Akram Zaatari, Abu Zahr and his wife. Studio Shehrazade, Saida, Lebanon.
1973-74. Hashem el Madani. From Objects of Study/The archive of studio
Shehrazade/Hashem el Madani/Studio Practices. Photograph, gelatin silver,
print on paper, 39,2 x 26,5 cm, 2007 ........................................................ 267

Figure 11: Akram Zaatari, Palestinian couple from Ain El Helweh. Studio Shehrazade,
Saida, Lebanon. 1973-74. Hashem el Madani. From Objects of Study/The
archive of studio Shehrazade/Hashem el Madani/Studio Practices.
Photograph, gelatin silver, print on paper, 39,1 x 26,5 cm, 2007 ............... 268

Figure 12: Akram Zaatari, Couple from Iqlim El Kharrub. Studio Shehrazade, Saida,
Lebanon. 1973-74. Hashem el Madani. From Objects of Study/The archive
of studio Shehrazade/Hashem el Madani/Studio Practices. Photograph,
gelatin silver, print on paper, 39,1 x 26,5 cm, 2007................................... 269
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Figure 13: Akram Zaatari. Anonymous. Studio Shehrazade, Saida, Lebanon, late 1960s.
Standard profile portrait, mandatory for candidates to military service.
Hashem el Madani. From Objects of Study/The archive of studio
Shehrazade/Hashem el Madani/Studio Practices. Photograph, gelatin silver,
print on paper, 29,0 x 29,2 cm, 2007 ........................................................ 270

Figure 14: Akram Zaatari. Anonymous. Studio Shehrazade, Saida, Lebanon, late 1960s.
Standard profile portrait, mandatory for candidates to military service.
Hashem el Madani. From Objects of Study/The archive of studio
Shehrazade/Hashem el Madani/Studio Practices. Photograph, gelatin silver,
print on paper, 29,0 x 29,2 cm, 2007 ........................................................ 271

Figure 15: Akram Zaatari, Anonymous. UNRWA School, South Lebanon. 1960s.
Hashem el Madani. From Objects of Study/The archive of studio
Shehrazade/Hashem el Madani/Studio Practices. Photograph, gelatin silver,
print on paper, 19,1x 29,0 cm, 2007 ......................................................... 272

Figure 16: Akram Zaatari, Anonymous. UNRWA School, South Lebanon. 1960s.
Hashem el Madani. From Objects of Study/The archive of studio
Shehrazade/Hashem el Madani/Studio Practices. Photograph, gelatin silver,
print on paper, 19,1x 29,0 cm, 2007. ........................................................ 273

Figure 17: Akram Zaatari, Student of Aisha Om el Mo’minin School for Girls. School
courtyard, Saida Lebanon. 1949-49. Hashem el Madani. From Objects of
Study/The archive of studio Shehrazade/Hashem el Madani/Studio Practices.
Photograph, gelatin silver, print on paper, 15,0 x 22,7 cm, 2007 ............... 274

Figure 18: Akram Zaatari, Student of Aisha Om el Mo’minin School for Girls. School
courtyard, Saida Lebanon. 1949-49. Hashem el Madani. From Objects of
Study/The archive of studio Shehrazade/Hashem el Madani/Studio Practices.
Photograph, gelatin silver, print on paper, 15,0 x 22,7 cm, 2007 ............... 275

Figure 19: Akram Zaatari. Anonymous. Studio Shehrazade, Saida, Lebanon, 1970s.
Hashem el Madani. From Objects of Study/The archive of studio
Shehrazade/Hashem el Madani/Studio Practices. Photograph, gelatin silver,
print on paper, 19,1 x 29,0 cm, 2007 ........................................................ 276

Figure 20: Akram Zaatari. Anonymous. Studio Shehrazade, Saida, Lebanon, 1960.
Hashem el Madani. From Objects of Study/The archive of studio
Shehrazade/Hashem el Madani/Studio Practices. Photograph, gelatin silver,
print on paper, 29,0 x 19,0 cm, 2007 ........................................................ 277

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