Milia M., conceptual artist, interior architect, and clothing designer. (Credit: Joséphine Leddet)
She was part of the first wave of post-war artists who "returned home" in the 1990s, a time when "everything in Lebanon seemed possible." After completing her studies at Esmod Paris, Milia Maroun — a petite woman with curly hair she has temporarily lost in her battle against cancer — chose to teach at Esmod Damascus, which had just opened. She walked away from a well-paid job where she might have "grown" by blending into the crowd, but where she feared she wouldn’t have the space to stand out. That no longer interested her.For many young Lebanese, "returning" may seem natural, but the decision often comes with challenges. "Moving back in with your parents is always a return to childhood. You are infantilized against your will. I was afraid. After years in Paris, where I viewed life on a grand scale, I felt trapped by my own design."...
She was part of the first wave of post-war artists who "returned home" in the 1990s, a time when "everything in Lebanon seemed possible." After completing her studies at Esmod Paris, Milia Maroun — a petite woman with curly hair she has temporarily lost in her battle against cancer — chose to teach at Esmod Damascus, which had just opened. She walked away from a well-paid job where she might have "grown" by blending into the crowd, but where she feared she wouldn’t have the space to stand out. That no longer interested her.For many young Lebanese, "returning" may seem natural, but the decision often comes with challenges. "Moving back in with your parents is always a return to childhood. You are infantilized against your will. I was afraid. After years in Paris, where I viewed life on a grand scale, I felt trapped by my own...
