Middle East Archive: Not Here Not There

Not Here Not There presents a series of photographs taken in Beirut, Byblos, and Zouk Mosbeh, Lebanon between 2019 and 2022. The visuals focus on everyday urban scenes, architectural details, and fragmented moments from public and private spaces. The images use bright lit shots and natural light that gives the visuals a sense of tension — between stillness and movement, intimacy and distance

Charbel Alkhoury doesn’t follow a clear story, the visual language is subtle and observational, leaning into mood, texture, and atmosphere rather than documentation or narrative. Between stillness and movement, intimacy and distance the photographs reflect a city caught between stillness and decline.

CHARBEL ALKHOURY  

• Charbel Alkhoury is a Beirut-born artist and cultural practitioner based in Brussels. With a background in photography and multimedia, and a master’s degree in fine arts, his practice explores the layered narratives of cities—especially Beirut—where memory, identity, and urban transformation intersect. Working across photography, video, and installation, Alkhoury creates evocative spaces that invite reflection on history, displacement, and the emotional imprint of changing landscapes.

TEXT  

• The book includes two essays written by Charbel Alkhoury and edited by Lamia Baladi. Translated by Mourad Nusair.

SPECIFICS

• 15,5 x 23 cm | “6 x 9 ” in
• swiss bound book
• 88 pages
• Photographer: Charbel Alkhoury
• Curator: Romaisa Baddar
• Translator: Mourad Nusair
• Editor: Lamia Baladi
• Design: Daleen Saah