Selected projects

Beyond Repair حدّ الخلل

Arab British Centre · London · 2026

Commissioned by Shubbak Festival and presented at the Arab British Centre, London Beyond Repair /حدّ الخلل is a multimedia installation exploring the entanglement of personal, political, and ecological histories. The work considers "return" as a materially indeterminate site to recycle, question, mimic, and disconnect alongside more-than-human companions. The word khalal (خَلَل) in Arabic—the current translation of the word glitch—has the root of خَل. It carries the meaning of fermentation, vibration, distortion, passing through, permeation, and friendship. These limits, meanings, and desires dissolve within this linguistic crack: tech/fermentation, intimate/vinegar, screen/plant, and the borders of Syria. Within the installation, different sizes of damaged electronic screens replace the traditional canvas. The paint strokes and collage elements become both a protest and the starting point of an ongoing, necessary conversion. The installation's process is taught by the mold that metamorphosed previous paintings and drawings across several geographies—from Beirut to Swaida to London and beyond. It is further informed by the water that once overtook a large-scale painting, initiating a deep reflection on catastrophes and the relationship with elements that are seemingly beyond repair. https://www.shubbak.co.uk/beyond-repair-saad-choeb/