With support from Selat: Links through the Arts, on 8 December 2017, a painting exhibition, titled Picture Stories from Now and Here, was organised at Dar al Mussawir (Beirut). Managed and curated by artist Lena Merhej, the exhibition featured the launch of a collection of picture books, which were the product of training workshops on picture stories. The collection included three books: A Hole in the Wall by Taghrid Abdelal, The Cage by Dania Kabbani, and The Yellow Dodge by Amira Zaibak. The three artists participated in a training workshop on the production of picture stories for the Samandal Association (Selat: Links through the Arts grant to organisations - 4th edition). Participants signed their books in the presence of artists and people with interest in picture stories.
Narratives from the Palestinian Diasplacement
With support from Selat: Links through the Arts, the Institute for Palestine Studies (IPS) in Beirut hosted a book signing of 11: Narratives from the Palestinian Displacement on Saturday, 9 December 2017. The event took place in the IPS pavilion at the International Arab Book Fair, Beirut International Exhibition and Leisure Center (BIEL), Beirut.
Also with support from Selat: Links through the Arts grant to organisations - 4th edition, the book was the product of a training workshop on creative writing, which was managed and supervised by novelist Hassan Daoud in winter 2017. Contributors to the book include: Salem Yassin, Mira Saidawi, Taha Younes, Nadia Fahed, Yousef Nana, Yaffa Talal Masri, Hanin Mohammed Rashid, Widad Taha, Intisar Hajjaj, Ruba Rahmah, and Mahmoud Mohammad Zeidan. The book signing received special media coverage by Palestinian media outlets, including Palestine TV and Palestine Today TV channels.
Palestinian and Lebanese Youths Celebrate the Students Authentic Music Festival
In the 2nd edition of the Students Authentic Music Festival (SAMF), me’zaf curated two distinctive musical performances on 25 November and 1 December 2017. These were performed by music students of the Al Kamandjâti Association (Shatila and Burj al-Barajneh refugee camps), Beit Atfal Assumoud, Al Manfeyen Band (Burj al-Barajneh refugee camp), and Université Antonine (Baabda). Managed and curated by artist Ghassan Sahhab, the two performances were an outcome of a series of extensive rehearsals on the oriental music tradition. Participating musicians included: Nour Abu Rayya, Ahmad al-Aswad, Omar Ahmed, Dawoud Hussein, Baha’ al-Jum’ah, Mohammed al-Assi, Mahmoud Abdallah, Maron al-Helou, Hasan Hamiyyeh, Miryam Wazen, Lama Qasem, and Joseph al-Helou. The first performance was organised at Stars Cinema, Nabatieh, Southern Lebanon. It was the last performance to be held at that heritage cultural space before it was finally closed. The second performance was hosted in the crypt of St. Joseph Church, Beirut. Both performances attracted an audience of people with interest in music in general, and in authentic Arab music in particular.
Kilna ‘al Hawa Sawa in Mar Elias Refugee Camp
With support from Selat: Links through the Arts, and in the context of the Kilna ‘al Hawa Sawa project, Public Works Studio organised a series of art training workshops during November and December 2017. These events targeted a group of young men and women in Mar Elias refugee camp, Beirut. Managed and supervised by the Public Works Studio team, the workshops were held at the Popular Committee’s hall in Mar Elias refugee camp. These involved exercises in research, creative dialogue, interviewing, investigation, information analysis through cartography and data mapping, collective thinking to develop interventions and devise a positive change in the environment and surrounding milieu, audio recording techniques, producing an audio show and visual materials that combine maps and texts, and designing and developing a programme for a year-long series of audio shows that cover other themes on public spaces in Mar Elias refugee camp. Workshops will be continued at the beginning of 2018.
Visits by Selat: Links through the Arts
In November 2017, a visit was made to Lebanon in the context of the efforts made by Selat: Links through the Arts to explore the possibilities of designing and implementing a capacity building programme, which targets young Palestinian artists in performing arts. The visiting delegation included Fida Touma, Deputy Director General of the A. M. Qattan Foundation, and a group of Belgian artists, namely dramaturgist Hildegard De Vuyst of Connexion, performing artist Donia Ahmad, and choreographers Kwint Manshoven and Joke Laureyns, who together make up kabinet k. Over a period of one week (3-8 November 2017), the delegation made a tour around Lebanon and viewed performing art initiatives by Palestinian individuals and organisations both inside and outside Palestinian refugee camps. These included initiatives made by Beit Atfal Assumoud, Al Kamandjâti Association, Palestinian Cultural Club, Keffiyeh Band, etc. The delegation also visited a number of Lebanese and Palestinian art and cultural organisations, including Dar El-Nimer For Arts & Culture, Hammana Artist House, Minwal, Fabrika, etc.