Q Calling the Shots ***

Removing my shoes, I entered the fake Fendi tent that would be housing Brazilian artist Shelia Ribeiro, aka Dona Orpheline, for 48 hours outside Qcontemporary, gallery, which was celebrating its first birthday. She was already being kept company by local artist Jean-Marc Nahas. Other party guests popped their heads in to see what was going on, some refusing to enter barefoot. Although Ribeiro described this tented experience as intimate, I found it rather uncomfortable to be so closed in with two strangers.
The conversation (or lack thereof) was awkward, and I couldn’t tell whether her typing on the computer was an attempt at keeping up the blog she was meant to be creating during this time, or her way of avoiding having to chat to us. It turns out it must have been the latter as the blog never really took off, and her two days in the tent turned into one due to an illness. Ribeiro says she found her audience to be very demanding, with most people feeling the need for something to happen. When it all got too much for me, I left to enjoy the party buns and chocolate treats.
Frankly, I’d much rather have been inside the Q gallery taking in the not-so-live art. At least some of the architectural photos mounted on the wall spoke to me!

Dona Orpheline’s tent was exhibited Nov 11-12 at Qcontemporary (03 300520) Ground Floor, Beirut Tower, Zeitoune Str, across from Beirut Marina, Solidere. For more information visit www.qartlog.com.