Christian Sleiman

b. 1994, Beirut, Lebanon; lives between Beirut and Paris

Christian Sleiman is a Lebanese artist currently based in Beirut. His practice examines the concept of vegetative souls-term first used by Aristotle, to describe plant life and its capacity for nutrition, growth and reproduction- through minor rituals, fabulations, and recipes. Using food as a medium for day-to-day survival, the practice weaves a collection of invitations between foraging, cooking, and serving food to explore the political implications of eating and the communal value that comes with it. These acts reveal a deeper collective understanding of ecosystems and the seasonality of lands that has been passed on through generational knowledge.

The work weaves a collection of stories around trees in urban space in Beirut; looking into the changes/forces that played a role in the migration/extinction/importation of different types of trees in Lebanon.