Qalandiya International

QALANDIYA INTERNATIONAL 2012

01 - 15 Nov 2012

QALANDIYA INTERNATIONAL 2012
1 – 15 November 2012

Artistic director: Jack Persekian

Gestures in Time : Riwaq & Al Ma’mal
An exhibition curated by Katya Garcia-Anton and Lara Khaldi

Rheim Alkadhi (Iraq/US)
Erick Beltran (Mexico)
Julia Rometti (France) & Victor Costales
(Ecuador/Belorussia)
Jumana Emil Abboud (Palestine)
Yasmine Eid-Sabbagh (Palestine, Lebanon & German)
Matias Faldbakken (Norway)
Amjad Ghannam (Palestine)
Ra’ouf Haj Yahia (Palestine)
Quinn Latimer (US/Switzerland) & guest poets
Ciprian Muresan (Romania)
Bruno Munari (Italy)
Sharyar Nashat (Iran/Switzerland)
Uriel Orlow (Switzerland)

Young Artist of the Year Award: Qattan Foundation
An exhibition curated by Yazan Khalili, Reem Shilleh, and Mohammad Musallam- Gaza Exhibition
Abdullah Al Ruzzi (Palestine)
Dia’ Al Azzeh (Palestine/Belgium)
Dirar Kalash (Palestine)
Inas Halabi (Palestine/UK)
Jumana Manna (Palestine/Norway)
Ruanne Abou-Rahme and Basel Abbas (Palestine)
Martin Soto Climent (Mexico)
Cornelia Parker (Great Britain)
Sokratis Sokratous (Cyprus)
Amer Shomali (Palestine)
Subversive Film (Palestine & UK)
Javier Telléz (Venezuela)
Wafa Hourani (Palestine)
Nardeen Srouji (Palestine)
Mohammed Alhawajri (Palestine)
Tom Nicholson (Australia)
Marwa Arsanios & Lawrence Abu Hamdan (Lebanon & UK)
Majd Abdel Hamid (Palestine)
Mirna Bamieh (Palestine)
Omarivs Ioseph Filivs Dinæ (Palestine)
Shada Safadi (the Golan Heights)
Stéphanie Saadé (Lebanon/France)
Disarming Designs Exhibition: International Art Academy Palestine
Mohamed Abouelnaga (Palestine)
Khaled Jarrar (Palestine)
Samir Salhi (Palestine)
Ma'mon shretih (Palestine)
Amer Amin (Palestine)
Khaled Hourani (Palestine)
Annelys De Vet (Netherlands)
Rudy J. Luijters (Netherlands)
Wafa Meri (Palestine)
Jawad Malhi (Palestine)
Sami Liftawi (Palestine)
Majd Abdel Hamid (Palestine)
Nahed Awwad (Palestine)

Mustafa Al-Halaj Exhibition: The Palestinian Art Court
An exhibition curated by Merna Bamieh

Exhibition by Nazareth Artists:The House of Culture and Arts
An exhibition curated by Farid Abu Shakra

Samir Srouji (Nazareth)
Ruba Salamej (Nazareth)
Rashad Deek (Nazareth)
Raafat Zreiq (Nazareth)
Lubna Nawatha Mahly (Nazareth)
Osama Khoury (Nazareth)
Live Music Performances: Khalil Sakakini Cultural Center
Turab music band (Palestine)
Yalalan music band (Palestine)
Ashkan Sepahvand (Berlin)

Art works at Birzeit in collaboration between Riwaq and Art Centre La

Chataiqneraie:
Roberta Gigante (Belgium)
Marie Zolamian (Belgium)
Laure Deselys (Belgium)

Symposium: Modernity, Architecture and Urban Life in the Arab Region
Organizers: Riwaq and Studio-X Global Network, Graduate School of Architecture Planning and Preservation, Columbia University
Ramallah, Nov. 4th 2012

Khaldun Bishara (Riwaq)
Jyoti Hosagrahar (Columbia University, GSAPP)
Omar Nagati (Modern Sciences and Art University in Cairo)
Pedro Azara (Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya)
Salim Tamari (Georgetown University)
Maha Samman (Al Quds University)
Inas Yasin (Birzeit University Museum)
Maha Samman (Al Quds University)
Iyad Issa and Sahar Qawasmi (Riwaq)
Walid Karkabi (Architect and researcher)
Shadi Ghadban (Ramallah Municipality)
Amman, Nov. 7th 2012

Safwan Masri (CUMERC)
Mohammad Al Asad (Center for the Studies of the Built Environment, Jordan)
Craig Konyk (Columbia University, GSAPP)
Felicity Scott (Columbia University, GSAPP)
George Arbid (American University of Beirut)
Rami Daher (German Jordanian University)
Samir Srouji (Architect)
Sahel Al Hiyari (Sahel Al Hiyari Architects)
Senan Abdelqader (Senan Abdelqader Architects)
Shahira Fahmy (Shahira Fahmy Architects)
Mohammad Al Asad (Center for the Studies of the Built Environment, Jordan)
Felicity Scott (Columbia University, GSAPP)

Participants at the Art Publication Symposium (collaboration between Khalil Sakakini Cultural Centre and A. M. Qattan Art Foundation

Adila Al Aidi Hanieh
Nicola Gray
Jonathan Harris
Khaled Hourani
Bashir Makhoul
Jack Persekian
Tina Sherwell
Adania Shibli

Book Launches:
Bashir Makhoul, artist (Palestine)
Jonathan Harris, Book editor (UK)
Adania Shibli, writer (Palestine)
Esmail Nashif (Palestine)

Art and Politics Meet at Qalandiya International
By Jack Persekian

In a world awash with well-funded and highly publicised international biennales that have become the gold-standard for art events, how do we – Palestinian artists and cultural professionals living and working in occupied Palestine with our limited means and resources – even consider creating our own version of the biennale? Is there any room on the global art scene for such a modest attempt? Could we even think to interest the international media in our relatively humble yet ambitious event, especially since our project would have to compete with an untenable political situation that is more attractive to the press than any art show because of its very embodiment of hopelessness and failure?

These are questions that we asked ourselves, and we answered with a resounding and unified voice that we want to make this event a reality regardless of whatever obstacles are in our way. We, the people at Al-Ma’mal, Riwaq, A.M. Qattan Foundation, Palestinian Art Court - Al Hoash, K. Sakakini Cultural Center, the International Art Academy - Palestine, and the House of Culture and Arts, represent seven Palestinian art and cultural institutions that have partnered to make this event happen against all odds.

We are able to do it because we have come together, pooling our financial, cultural, and human resources, to produce Palestine’s first-ever biennale-style art event: Qalandiya International.

Why do we want to make Qalandiya International happen? Politically and economically, Palestinians are at an impasse, with no resolution to the Israeli occupation of their land and no possible alleviation of their dire economic conditions in sight. From these perspectives, the Palestinian present and future are bleak. It is from the perspectives of art and culture, however, that we find some hope. Through art and culture we can find some of the most meaningful messages and poignant gestures that speak of the Palestinian struggle for dignity and self-respect, for self-expression. In today’s Palestine, art does not reflect politics; art is politics. Art and politics meet at Qalandiya International.
 

Tags: Jumana Emil Abboud, Marwa Arsanios, Erick Beltrán, Martin Soto Climent, Matias Faldbakken, Lawrence Abu Hamdan, Khaled Hourani, Khaled Jarrar, Jumana Manna, Bruno Munari, Ciprian Muresan, Tom Nicholson, Uriel Orlow, Cornelia Parker, Stéphanie Saadé, Javier Téllez