Kamel Mrowa 50th Commemoration: A Life in Pictures

“Kamel Mrowa 50th Commemoration: A Life in Pictures”

in Beirut Souks

“Kamel Mrowa 50th Commemoration: A Life in Pictures” is an exhibition dedicated to the life of an iconic figure in journalism and politics, and  in parallel tells the stories that shaped Lebanon and The Arab world between 1940- the year when Mrowa founded the Al Hayat newspaper, and 1966, the year of his assassination. This is a critical and transformative period in the history of our region, a peak of glory and self-realization after the end of colonization, punctuated with major conflicts and defeats, and a strong sense of nationalism, ideology and political commitment. These events, be they political or social, make the subject of front pages from Al Hayat newspaper- about 80 of which are reproduced in a large forma as part of the exhibition.  Some of the panels also display vintage advertisements from the same era, recounting history from other perspectives – those of the economic mood or socio-cultural fashions.

The exhibition also recollects the life of Kamel Mrowa through images and other memorabilia, underlining his vision, his progressiveness, and his contributions to making Beirut a regional press powerhouse. In many ways, Mrowa’s story interweaves with the region’s history, as if his life was a string of personal events that symbolized the collective.

The exhibition is organized by the Kamel Mrowa Foundation in collaboration with Solidere. It takes place at the Gold Souk and Fakhry Bey Street in Beirut Souks between May 4th and June 3rd, with a side program of lectures happening at various venues in Beirut.