Policemen on Motorbikes collection, 2009, by Lebanese artist Ziad Antar offers a compelling exploration of the intersection between culture, politics, and identity through a series of images featuring Lebanese policemen on their motorbikes. In these images, Antar presents a social and political commentary regarding corruption and ignorance. The photographs feature a distinctly Westernized aesthetic, showcasing different motorbikes’ brands including Honda, Suzuki, and Harley Davidson with policemen posing alongside them, bearing a striking resemblance to policemen in the United States.

The series emerged from Antar's formal invitations to the police station, where officers unexpectedly accepted the proposition. Antar photographed approximately a dozen police officers of Lebanon's Internal Security Forces (ISF). Shot in a studio setting, they are either standing next to or riding on their motorcycles. Antar poignantly captures the policemen’s banal facial expression while also highlighting how their posture relays a sense of pride, boasting their gifted motorcycles. A notable aspect of this collection is the decision to shoot the subjects at eye level, subverting the conventional tendency to capture individuals in positions of power from a lower angle. The resulting portraits possess a theatricality that challenges conventional perceptions.

Despite their display of pride and confidence, the officers remain indifferent to the origins of their equipment, underscoring a culture of playful disregard. Here, humor and light-heartedness overshadow concerns of national identity, perpetuating a cycle of dependency on external actors. This reliance on foreign assistance, while normalized, symbolizes a broader issue of governmental corruption and inefficiency. Regardless of the officers’ confident posturing, their perceived power is merely a facade, representative of the superficiality and inherent contradictions within Lebanese society.

It is worth mentioning that in 2010, the United States donated 20 stylish Harley Davidson motorbikes to the Lebanese ISF, which were presented by U.S. Ambassador Michele Sison, as part of the United States’ ongoing effort in supporting the Lebanese government, a policy dating back to George W. Bush’s administration. At the handover ceremony in Beirut, the Ambassador stated: "these impressive and easily recognizable motorcycles will certainly assist the ISF in projecting its presence in the eyes of the Lebanese citizens, and if I might add — doing so with great style."