INSTASNAPS
LA DE UNVEILS# YOU AREA NATURAL LEADER MURAL
The Lebanese Association for Democratic Elections (Lade/@ladeleb) unveiled a mural championing gender equality in Hamra. Executed by artists Lea Bou Habib and Elie Zaarour, the mural got Lebanese social media users talking, as many shared their support for the message behind it. “LADE addressed the female saying: You Are A Natural Leader, because all the stereotypes against her have been focusing on limiting her gender roles to house chores,” one of the campaign’s captions read. “Maybe it would be a daily reminder for all who stumble upon it, women mainly, to take a step towards the future.”
SEESAW INSTALLATION ACROSS US-MEXICO BORDER GOES VIRAL
Videos of an installation where seesaws went through the steel barrier to bridge the border between the US and Mexico so that kids from both ends of the border can enjoy playing together went viral on Instagram after users flocked to share the heartwarming moment onto their stories. The seesaws were designed by architecture professor at the University of California, Berkeley Ronald Rael [@rrael] and associate design professor at San Jose State university Virginia San Fratello [@vasfsf] over 10 years ago but finally came to life on July 30 for a duration of half-an-hour to prove that all humans are connected through little things that bring us together, defying physical borders into a unifying psychological dimension.
LEBANESE SINGER-SONGWRITER ZEF ONLINE BUZZ WITH DEBUT SINGLE
Another emerging Lebanese artist by the name of Zef (@zefmusic) made buzz on Instagram with his Arabic debut single ‘Shi Nhar’ that was heavily shared by local app users after its release due to its soothing yet catchy melody and simple yet meaningful lyrics. The song is accompanied by a video shot in reverse, which also helped bring the lyrics and concept to life. It’s nice to see how the parameters of Lebanon’s crowded entertainment industry are starting to shift towards social media, where talent is the main criteria for success, as opposed to the glamorous/overtly polished traditional media approach that has shot many individuals of questionable ability into success.
LEBANESE ARTIST REMIE AKL MAKES BOLD STATEMENT IN DEBUT VIDEO
September 12 marked a turning point for Lebanese up-and-coming artist Rémie Akl [@remieakl] with the release of a compelling debut video that tackles the realities of being an Arab Woman. “While most of us are ashamed or afraid to say it out loud because of the foreign propagandas. I am raising my voice. I am Arab. And this video is my debut,” the post’s caption read. Uploaded in full onto IGTV, the black and white video was widely shared by local Instagram users who praised the message and commended the artistry and execution. We’re hungry for more raw/thoughtful Instagram content of the sort in a social media landscape swept away by dullness, shallowness and purposeless content.