Video Out

Up To The South (Talaheen A Junuub)

In the Western mind, Southern Lebanon conjures up regret, fear and loathing. Arabs are depicted as evil, money grabbing, xenophobic fanatics intent on self destruction. The Lebanese voice surfaces in the Western media in order to serve and reinforce these stereotypes. Up to the South focuses on the people, their stories, histories, the politics and economics of the region currently occupied by the Israeli army. Men and women living in the area speak frankly about their homes, work and school as they with the outside forces that can change their lives in an instant.
 

Jayce Salloum has been working in installation, photography, mixed media and video since 1975. Salloum is known for installation works that sensitively investigate historical, social and cultural contexts of place. The grandson of Syrian (now a part of Lebanon) immigrants, Salloum studied in the United States. Central themes played out in his work include questions of exile, ethnic representation and cultural identity. Exhibiting nationally and internationally, his work is held in the collections of the National Gallery of Canada, the Museum of Modern Art and the Centre Pompidou. In 2014, Salloum won a Governor General’s Award in Visual and Media Arts.