Water on Fire: Memory and Writing

In this public talk, Tarek El Ariss shares a practice that moves across literature, philosophy, and visual arts. His work explores questions of subjectivity, modernity, and representation, navigating between languages, geographies, and forms of writing.

Drawing from his book Water on Fire, he reflects on a personal trajectory shaped by war, exile, and migration, from Beirut to the United States. Blending intimate memory with critical inquiry, the talk considers writing as a space of transformation — where storytelling becomes an act of resilience.
À partir de son livre Water on Fire, il revient sur une trajectoire personnelle marquée par la guerre, l’exil et la migration, de Beyrouth aux États-Unis. Entre mémoire intime et réflexion critique, cette prise de parole explore l’écriture comme un espace de transformation, où raconter devient un acte de résistance et de recomposition.