Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige: The Vertiginous Story of Orthosia

The Nahr al Bared refugee camp was built in north Lebanon in 1948 for Palestinian families fleeing the Nakba. At the time, nobody considered the possibility that they might still be there 75 years later. In 2007, fighting erupted in the camp between the Lebanese army and Islamist groups exposed an archaeological site which turned out to be the ruins of the ancient Roman city of Orthosia, lost since being hit by a tsunami in 551 CE. This was a major find, but a proper archaeological investigation would necessitate yet another displacement for the families living there – a process that would be socially, politically and humanly untenable.

Through storytelling, video, photography and installation, Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige imagine what may lie under the ground, questioning the narratives surrounding the story within the context of a cycle of construction and destruction.

Performed by Ahmed Abu Arada and Miryana Milad Almaalouly as part of Sharjah Art Foundation’s Perform Sharjah programme, The Vertiginous Story of Orthosia is presented in Arabic with English subtitles on 9 November; on 10 November it’s in English with Arabic subtitles at the Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai.