Mass Struggle by Akram Zaatari

Museum boat
Work
All audiences

Discover Mass Struggle by artist Akram Zaatari, created especially for the Art Explora Festival. Invited by Amanda Abi Khalil and Danielle Makhoul - curators associated with the tour - the artist presents a work that takes the form of the Mediterranean Sea. Mass Struggle highlights the region's exhaustion in the face of constant human and commercial flows.

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All dates

Mass struggle, Akram Zaatari, 2024

Tire rubber

6159 x 2924 cm

Courtesy of the artist

Mapped as a void in most cartographies, the Mediterranean stretches out beneath our feet as overwhelming dark matter. Islands turned into negative space. This floor piece conceived by Akram Zaatari emerges as a comment on the excessive use of this sea in navigation routes, from cargo commutes and tourist cruises to migratory crossings, and as a denunciation to its abuse as a dump of sewage and polluting wastes. Mass Struggle fills the space with a gummy mass that challenges the sensorial perception of these waters, and records traces of wear as people are invited to step on it. As such, individual and collective impact on this challenged ecosystem is given a form.

Martina Barbon

Martina Barbon

Akram Zaatari

Born in 1966 in Saida, Lebanon, he lives and works in Beirut. Akram Zaatari is a major figure in the contemporary art scene in Lebanon. Oscillating between reality and fiction, his films and video installations feature archival images, testimonies and situations representative of living conditions in Lebanon. Co-founder of the Arab Image Foundation, he has made an invaluable and uncompromising contribution to the mainstream discourse on archival preservation and practice. He represented Lebanon at the 55th edition of the Venice Art Biennale (2013). Her work has been presented in major artistic contexts such as documenta 13 (2012) and the Liverpool Biennial (2012).

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Riva Sette Martiri, Venice, Italy

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EXPERIENCES On board

Immersive exhibition "Présentes

Created in exceptional collaboration with the Musée du Louvre, this exhibition offers a reflection on the role and representation of female figures in the Mediterranean world, through an educational and sensory experience based on digital audiovisual technologies. The exhibition is divided into two parts:

  • An educational documentary on the aft deck
  • An immersive exhibition at the heart of the catamaran
Discover the exhibition

A sound journey in the Mediterranean by Ircam

Through a Sound Odyssey, Ircam and Ircam Amplify invite visitors to explore the sensations of the Mediterranean and discover new soundscapes, both imaginary and real.

Discover sound travel

© Elisa Von Brockdorff

The artists

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Frequently asked questions

Is access to the boat free?

Yes, the boat tour is free. However, you must reserve your time online in the dedicated area of our ticketing service.

Is there a specific dress code for visiting the museum boat?

For reasons of safety and preservation of the boat, high heels and stilettos may not be worn on the boat.

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The museum boat is open to all, free of charge and subject to registration. Find out all about the museum boat on our dedicated page. To find out on which quay it will be moored, consult the page dedicated to your town.

Is the museum boat accessible to people with reduced mobility?

The catamaran is currently not wheelchair accessible. Please inform us in advance of any special accessibility requirements, so that we can make the necessary arrangements.