Of the participating features that have been revealed so far, Aivazian's installation is one of the very few from the Arab world in the 72nd edition of Berlin International Film Festival.

The Beirut-based artist's work will be one of ten selected installations exhibited following the forum’s suspension in 2021 due to COVID-19 regulations.

As the installation's brief reveals, Aivazian "tracks the public administration of light and darkness as an essential policing tool. The video moves between cities like New York and Paris, with the artist's native Beirut setting the central pulse. Creating an associative genealogy that moves from whale oil lamps to gas lanterns to LED bulbs, from blackouts to curfews, the video is comprised of found footage and material from Aivazian’s own phone."

In his creative practice, Haig Aivazian moves across a range of media and modes of address. He delves into the ways in which power embeds, affects and moves people, objects, animals, landscape and architecture. Aivazian has explored apparatuses of control and sovereignty at work in sports, museums, the office and music. He is currently artistic director of the Beirut Art Center.

This is not the first time that Aivazian has participated in Berlinale. In 2017, his film Not Every Day is Spring was screened within the Forum Expanded of the 67th Berlin International Film Festival.

This year, Forum Expanded is curated by two artists and curators: Ala Younis from Kuwait and Ulrich Ziemons from Germany. They are joined by Karina Griffith (Guyana-Canada), Shai Heredia (India) and Maha Maamoun (Egypt).

For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture