parallel universes

parallel universes . (2006 - 2008)

Parallel Universes offers the spectator the gift of ubiquity. The title nods at the “Multiverse theory”, the hypothetical set of multiple possible universes embracing together all of reality.

Mirza’s work exposes the coexistence of past and present layers of war and peace realities. Through her visual constructions of horror and leisure, she challenges the gap between politics and entertainment. Manipulating images from the 1975 and 2006 Lebanese wars, Mirza targets the sacred cow of the war photograph to reveal the contraptions of truth lying behind.

The artist softly disturbs the viewers’ comfort with surreal representations. Parallel Universes’ reciprocal intrusions bring the spectator’s self into conflict. “Where were these pictures taken? Are they ‘real’ or ‘false’? Where does the picture begin and where do I end? Mirza eliminates the surface of the photograph, forcing the viewer to renegotiate their habitual relation to images.

Like a mirror, Parallel Universes incorporate the spectator's gaze in the fabric of the image itself.

Text by Amahl Khouri