Lara Chamas | Di(mat)spora | carpet | 2016
Together with the contents of Di(cat)spora, I combined remnants of the rugs used to cut out the cats, and created these oddly shaped ambiguous amalgamated rugs. In short, Di(mat)spora is an exploration tensions felt between forces. Focused is my own dispersion felt between my Australian born culture, and Middle Eastern blood culture, my tensions felt between religion, culture. The video features myself covering my Fathers praying mat with these rug scraps, creating a patchwork rug of all sorts, my father then prays on the mess I’ve made. This work is a reflection on any displaced being, displaced in whatever sense.
Lara Chamas is a first-generation Lebanese non-indigenous Australian artist, based in Melbourne. Her practise investigates sub topics of postcolonial and migrant narratives, specifically within the context of her cultural identity. Her practise explores this in relation to contemporary Australian and global society, and current political issues. Currently a completing her Masters by research in Fine Art at Monash University, through the use of narrative and experience documentation, storytelling, oral history / orally transmitted information, and historical texts; her research intends to explore links between narrative theory, cultural practice, current politics, the body as a sculptural, oral and political vessel. Included in this is personal experience and family history, to relate to contemporary issues in Australian society surrounding bi-culturality and assimilation.
https://www.instagram.com/lara_chamas_artist
