"ŠamaŠ, crier la paix": a sensory installation at the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris

It's a vibrant work that awaits us at theInstitut du Monde Arabe right now. First unveiled in the Lebanese pavilion at the Venice Biennale in 2017, this installation by artist Zad Moultaka is now on show in Paris until April 6, 2025, and promises not to leave visitors unmoved.

"ŠamaŠ, cry peace": this name evokes antiquity and refers to the Babylonian god of the sun and justice, mentioned in the Code of Hammurabi, the first known code of law for mankind. In contrast to this ancestral character, the divinity is represented here by a 1950s bomber engine from which a mysterious melody emanates, without completely drowning out the inaudible human voices, while facing a wall of glittering coins which in turn recalls the Golden Calf.

• To be read
• This Week's Best Deals in Paris and Île-de-France, December 15–21, 2025
• Free museums and landmarks: Must-visit sites this Sunday, January 4th, in Paris and Île-de-France
• Free museums and monuments in Paris and the Ile-de-France region: cultural tips

Both visual artist and composer, Zad Moultaka 's visual and sound installation denounces the barbarity of weapons, giving voice to the injustice of the consequences for the populations affected by the conflicts raging in the Middle East.

Institut du Monde Arabe (IMA): program, exhibitions, events, everything you need to know about this cultural center
The Institut du Monde Arabe is an astonishing place where Arab culture reveals itself to us through astonishing exhibitions and an eclectic program of events for all ages and all audiences! [Read more]