Nearsighted
“Everyone Wants What the Other Has” edition 2013. The show refers to ideas of ‘stealing’ – ‘monopolization’ in our everyday life - which is a very strong topic nowadays as we steal everything, from immaterial properties to land.
This desire of ‘wanting’ captures anything we do in life. It is an endless yearn for possession that does not come from real needs. The human being is continuously creating images of desire in order to manipulate and instill to other people a keen sense of lacking confidence. This is why any action of owning should serve to bridge this gap.
According to Hachem’s philosophy we should not own things, but it is rather a matter of taking and giving. We could simply share and build everything on the basis of these criteria. We don’t need to define a place to us, we don’t need to trace a limit and put a frontier to protect our land. This exhibition takes into consideration the nature of these problems caused by the fact that everyone wants what the other has. ‘Everyone’ does not exclude the artist as he is playing the same game and cannot avoid the question.
The common expression “to put hands on” (in French “main mise”) has its roots into desire of wanting something. Through different ways and tools, this desire becomes an obsession of enlarging the territory of power even if it might lead to killing, provoking wars or doing something bad to others!
Although the use of ‘force’ can provide man with many things, every time he does something for himself he actually becomes like a tool for his competitor without being conscious of it.
Pascal Hachem
Pascal Hachem, 1979 based in Beirut, is an artist / product designer represented by Selma Feriani Gallery in Tunis / London and Schiavo Zoppelli Gallery in Milan. He won awards in different competitions like Bang & Olufsen and the Boghossian prize, Brussels, Nadour Collection in Germany and Kamel Lazaar foundation in Switzerland. He lectured at Art Basel Talks in Switzerland, at the City Gallery Wellington in New Zealand and at the Mosaic Rooms London.
Hachem’s work is always inspired by the everyday life and he tends to contextualise his way of thinking with the social and political situations in Beirut. His practice is influenced by an unconscious way that he cannot escape. The artist does not impose any set of rules upon himself, but rather he is prompted by nothing but a single impressionable moment, to produce. As a result, he has a varied catalogue of work using various mediums, including his own body and common objects.
In 2013, he co-founded 200Grs. The studio’s two founders are both drawn from Beirut’s constraints and the many challenges facing those who live in this complex city. In response, 200Grs works actively with local Lebanese artisans, to promote their craftsmanship and keep their knowledge and skills - which are at risk of disappearing - alive. Recently the Victoria and Albert Museum, V&A in London, UK; acquired from 200Grs the ‘Stuck Stick’ series.
