__ ART in EXILE
2013
ART in EXILE [AiE] is a residency program aimed at Syrian artists living in exile. It focuses on how artists through their art relate (critically) to, comment on, adapt to and participate in the uprising and the violent changes, that have dominated everyday life in Syria for almost two years. The idea is to present contemporary Syrian art and artistic expressions that continue to surface in the context of the uprising and through the art itself, but also through a number of events, readings, debates and talks to discuss the role of art and the artist in political and sociocultural changes. Hence also the role of art as memory and as propagator of experiences with violence, suffering and submission, but also art as a space for dreaming and rethinking possible future scenarios.
The participating artists are chosen for their artistic and creative qualities. They are artists in their own right, but the modest hope and aspiration of ART in EXILE is also to bring attention to the Syrian situation, and through direct involvement and interaction to show the multitude of perspectives and landscapes unfolding in the conflict.
Residency program
Eight artists have been invited to Copenhagen for different periods of time. During their stay they will get the opportunity to
• exhibit/perform/read/debate existing works
• work on their own material
• work on new productions in colaboration with other Syrian artists
• participate in the conference and exhibition SYRIA'S ART of RESISTANCE organised by the Danish Centre for Culture & Development (CKU)
PART I – Exhibition
Each artist will bring existing works, which will be exhibited, read, performed at Korridor No. 33 and/or at other locations in Copenhagen depending on the nature of the specific work of art. Some of the works will also appear at the exhibition SYRIA'S ART of RESISTANCE at the Round Tower.
PART II – Workshop & production
Throughout the residency we will experiment with different forms and shapes of cooperation. The final set-up will depend on the artists and the nature of the work they are engaged in, and thus the final program for the residency will be created in collaboration with the individual artists.
PART III – SYRIA'S ART of RESISTANCE
(Symposium & Exhibition) The residency program will be an active part of the symposium and exhibition SYRIA'S ART of RESISTANCE at the Round Tower in Copenhagen.
The exhibition is an extended version of the exhibition Culture in Defiance – Continuing Traditions of Satire, Art and the Struggle for Freedom in Syria, which was showed at the Prince Claus Fund in Amsterdam in 2012 and among others included works by Alshaab Alsori, Aref Tarekh, Masasit Mati, Yasmin Fanari, Ali Ferzat and Khalil Younes.
Three artists from the residency program will participate directly as speakers or discussants at the symposium on Thursday the 21st of March.
Artists in Residency
Rami Farah (filmmaker/documentarist), Golan Haji (writer), Sulafa Hijazi (director), Ali Kaaf (artist), Mohamed Omran (artist & sculpturer), Muzaffar Salman (photographer), Aram Tahhan (writer) and Rana Zeid (writer).
Events in March 2013
09.03 | Syrian Diaries – Exhibition and Readings
Photo exhibition: Salman Muzaffar
Readings: Golan Haji and Rana Zeid
Art work: Ali Kaaf
15.03 | Two Years of Revolution – Exhibition, readings, documentary films
Exhibition: Mohamad Omran (drawings/illustrations) & Muzaffar Salman (photography)
Poetry readings: Aram Tahhan, Golan Haji, Rana Zeid & Jan Pêt Khorto
Documentary screening: Rami Farah
21.03 – 12.05 | Syria's Art of Resistance
Exhibition at the Round Tower, Copenhagen
21.03 | Symposium
Syria's Art of Resistance – Continuing Traditions of Satire, Art and the Struggle for Freedom
22.03 – 25.03 | Daily Occurrences – Poetic and artistic workshop
At the Syria's Art of Resistance exhibition: Golan Haji & Mohamad Omran