Occupation of Memory
Maya Art Space is pleased to present The Occupation of Memory, a solo exhibition by Adnan Charara in collaboration with Sundara and curated by Hana Sammak Kurdi. The exhibition opens on the 9th of September and remains on view until 30th of September 2026.
Adnan Charara’s practice is one of personal realisation. Themes such as identity, ethnicity, diversity, fear, love, and acceptance manifest in his work to elaborate on his lived experience as a citizen of the world. Having lived in different cultures, the feeling of being an outsider has stayed with Charara, however as a tool of observation rather than alienation. Through his artistic practice, Charara looks to forge connections and initiate conversations with the audience, and between themselves, on themes that represent the human condition.
Navigating such existential themes, Charara uses humour to make his art more approachable, playful, and engaging. As a powerful tool, it translates personal interpretations into relatable conversations, making complex existential questions accessible to audiences from all walks of life.
This exhibition is no exception. The Occupation of Memory is a battle of the colours, mirroring the contradiction and perhaps also the harmony in its themes. Comic-book style pieces that depict violence are indeed comical. The eyes shift between bright colourful motifs overlaying fantastical black-and-white worlds, confusing our emotional receptors and hence, our perception.
This is certainly not by mistake. Charara ponders on the fickleness of our memories and questions their integrity and our attachment to them. To Charara our memories are easily influenced by our surroundings and can be susceptible to manipulation, therefore ‘occupation’ here refers to the momentary recollection that serves our own perspective.
Occupation of Memory
Date: 9 to 30 September 2026
Location: Maya Art Space, Abdul Malek Street, Bldg. 174, Downtown, Beirut, Lebanon
