“Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. What you have caught on film is captured forever… it remembers little things, long after you have forgotten everything.”
Esteemed Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer was commissioned in 1963 to design a ‘new architectural vision’ at the site of the ‘Rashid Karami International Fairgrounds’ in Tripoli – Lebanon’s second-largest city. However, the reality of the vision ceased to exist as the project was abruptly stopped in 1975 when the country fell into civil war. Today, fifteen structures stand in partial completion across the fairgrounds – and their forgotten shells and skeletons continue to sit neglected across the 10,000 hectare plot.
In actual fact, the vast and auspicious landscape acts as a perfect backdrop to the shortcomings of the project as its setting evokes emotion and the reality of set-back. The stagnant environment and lost architectural dreams are captured wonderfully from the latest project by photographer Anthony Saroufim. So much so, that the delicate details, balance and angle of each picture represents their own potent view of a country’s forgotten, but visible history.
Take a look at a few of our favourites in the image gallery below and further further information, head to Anthony Saroufim’s website.
Images courtesy of Anthony Saroufim.
