In The Belly Of The Beast

“The belly of the beast” is a figurative phrase commonly employed to depict a demanding or arduous circumstance, typically characterized by a dominant or oppressive influence. Its origins can be traced back to the religious narratives of Jonah and Younes, who was engulfed by a whale and remained confined within its belly before being liberated. This expression symbolizes a state of entrapment or immersion within a powerful entity, signifying the challenges and struggles one faces in such a situation.

The Letco Star Hotel is situated in Ain El Mrayse in central Beirut, the building stands as a peripheral entity—a low-income rental housing with converted hotel rooms that accommodate multiple renters, including entire families. The artist worked with a group of the residents in the aim of constructing a collective poem and printing it on the balconies curtains.

The majority of the hotel’s residents are young men from Akkar who endure exploitative work conditions in the food sector. Additionally, they face brutal living conditions such as overcrowding, inadequate sanitation and hygiene facilities, poor ventilation, and limited access to basic amenities. The residents represent the core of the food industry of high-end restaurants, yet they face marginalization due to the conditions of their labor. Their status oscillates between inside and outside the system.

The concept of the Belly of the Beast connects to ideas of consumption, digestion, food economy, and economic crises. Oppressive situations impede the workers’ capacity to reap benefits and sustain acceptable living conditions. The deplorable living conditions they endure mirror wider economic disparities and systemic problems, positioning them within an economic system that takes advantage of their labor. The beast here could be the building itself or the system that allows for such conditions to exist. But the question that pertains is: How do we excrete from the belly of this beast if we keep feeding it?