SHARJAH- In partnership with UAE-based Irthi Contemporary Crafts Council, an affiliate of NAMA Women Advancement Establishment (NAMA), Beirut-based T SAKHI, a multidisciplinary architecture and design studio, has designed and curated an urban installation project to restore genuine dialogue on the reconstruction of Lebanon's future.

Titled "Letters from Beirut", this interactive installation is a handcrafted poetic project in honour of the Lebanese community and aims to forge deep connections and unexpected, multisensory experiences through the power of words in the form of 2,000 letters bearing the "voices" of citizens impacted by the 4th August blasts.

Incorporating elements inspired by the UAE’s rich crafts heritage, "Letters from Beirut" was unveiled at the 5th edition of The European Cultural Centre, opening in parallel with the Venice Architecture Biennale, to address the Biennale’s 2021 theme, "How will we live together?" from 22nd May to 21st November, 2021.

Irthi offered its support for the installation by handcrafting the scented pouches containing the letters by Lebanese citizens. 37 Emirati craftswomen from Irthi’s Bidwa Social Development Programme in Sharjah have handcrafted these pouches made from recycled and sustainable felt, inspired by the "Sayr Yaay" pattern of Safeefah, a traditional Emirati palm frond weaving craft.

Under its Bidwa Programme, Irthi offers vocational training and up-skilling opportunities to Emirati artisans practising indigenous crafts to support them economically and socially, and to preserve the skills and rich cultural heritage of the UAE and the wider Middle East, North Africa and South Asia (MENASEA) regions.

The project was made possible through the patronage of H.H. Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, wife of H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, and Chairperson of NAMA.

The "Letters from Beirut" installation, set on a six-metre linear wall, will feature 2,000 handcrafted pouches. The interactive and multisensory experience of the installation stems from the personal messages inside these pouches, written on handmade paper by 2,000 Beiruti survivors of the 4th August explosion that ripped through the capital last year. The public is encouraged to respond to these personal letters that have been hand-transcribed on handmade recycled papers crafted by university students.

The contemporary patterned pouch that has replaced palm fronds with recycled felt is lined in linen and stitched in silver Zari thread. Every pouch also contains a seed – a universal symbol of rebirth – to plant and grow. The seeds inside the pouches are that of coriander, zucchini, and green beans - all edible plants used in Lebanese cuisine.

Each pouch is also scented with a stimulating natural fragrance evocative of Lebanon’s flora: cedar, pine, thyme, genet, or jasmine. As each pouch is pulled out, the wall forming the "Letters from Beirut" begins its gradual process of disintegration, until it finally disappears.

Craft heritage offers message of hope According to Reem BinKaram, Director, NAMA Women Advancement Establishment, "Through the "Letters from Beirut" project, Irthi’s collaboration with T SAKHI aims to instil hope amongst the people of Lebanon and support artisans and sustainable design processes while also reinforcing our commitment to the preservation of cultural and craft heritage of the region."

BinKaram added, "The site-specific urban installation will foster dialogue and enable Irthi to raise charitable contributions for the reconstruction of Beirut through our partnership with UAE-based non-profit, The Big Heart Foundation’s ‘Salam Beirut’ campaign. This collaboration thus sets the tone for Irthi’s vision on the future of urbanism and its role as a gateway for crafts preservation across the MENASEA region."

© Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2021.