IN FOCUS: A Unique Survey of Contemporary Mid-Eastern Art

Tate Modern, Contemporary Art Platform, Dazed Gallery, The Arts Club
Artist(s): Group
Curator: Predrag Pajdic
Dates: Till September 7, 2007
 
IN FOCUS is a London-wide contemporary art project relating to the Middle East. It will include: multimedia art exhibitions, series of film and video screenings, live art performances & interventions as well as more than 100 educational activities, that will take place across London, during the spring/summer of 2007.

The ongoing events in the Middle East produce a flow of images that are often of war, destruction and conflict. Channelled by the media, these images remain in the subconscious, coming to mind whenever the term ‘Middle East’ is mentioned. IN FOCUS hopes to challenge these representations by showing 65 international contemporary artists whose work relates to the region but defies stereotypes. The project incorporates film, video, digital technology, conceptual work, installation photography and a number of live art performances and interventions.

Represented artists and In Focus this summer 07 in London are: Mohamed Abdulla, Abdellatif Abdul-Hamid, Anthony Abou Khalife, Mania Akbari, Akram Al Ashqar, Yasmeen Al Awadi, Mounira Al Solh, Rowan Alfaqih, Doa Aly, Omar Amiralay, Ayreen Anastas, Ziad Antar & Rasha Salti, Oreet Ashery, Mireille Astore, Maja Bajevic, Tim Blake, Ali Cherri, Hassan Choubassi, Tareq El Ghosein & Chris Kienke, Roza El-Hassan, Hala Elkoussy, Shady El Noshokaty, Shadi Habib Allah, Khaled Hafez, Mohammed Hammed, Susan Hefuna, Hilda Hiary, Mahmoud Hojeij, The Infinity Project, Hisham Jaber, Lamia Joreige, Annemarie Jacir & Nassin Amaouche, Emily Jacir, Ahmed Khaled, Nesrine Khodr, Khorso Khosravi, Nedim Kufi, Rabih Mroué, Vesna Milicevic, Enas Muthafar, Diane Nerwen, Khalil Rabah, Ayman Ramadan, Khaled Ramadan, Mario Rizzi, Paul Ryan, Jackie Salloum, Lina Saneh, Larissa Sansour, Wael Shawky, Emilia Telese & Guyan Porter, Sadegh Tirafkan, Milica Tomic & Branimir Stojanovic, Vladimir Tomic, Jalal Toufic, Sharif Waked, Rachel Wilberforce, Akram Zaatari and Sameh Zoabi.

PROGRAMME:

Tate Modern (Friday 4 May to Sunday 13 May 2007)
THIS DAY, a series of short films and video works by international artists, whose work refers to the Middle East from their own cultural, social, historical and political contexts. Selected by Predrag Pajdic & Samar Martha over eight themed programmes This Day features works by more than forty artists from Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Palestine and Syria in addition to those from Europe and the USA whose subject matter relates to the Middle East. This Day will directly engage with contemporary art practice from the region but act as a survey not of the geographical territory but rather its cultural, social and political contexts. This Day will be accompanied by MAKE ME STOP SMOKING, a live art performance by Rabih Mroué
Opening 4th (5-7pm)

Dazed Gallery (June 7 to July 11; 2007)
UNDO, an exhibition about conflict, tension and bereavement. The exhibition will examine misunderstandings and preconceptions about the Middle East. Works by Mohamed Abdulla, Yasmeen Al Awadi, Ziad Antar, Oreet Ashery, Maja Bajevic, Ali Cherri, Tarek Al-Ghoussein, The Infinity Project, Lamia Joreige, Leigh Matthewman, Vesna Milicevic, Vladimir Tomic and Rachel Wilberforce will push boundaries.
Opening June 7th, 7 – 10pm
 
Contemporary Art Platform (Thursday 22 June to Friday 7 September, 2007)
THE BREATH, a multimedia art exhibition, incorporating film & video installations, digital technology, conceptual works, interactive installations, photography and a number of live art performances & interventions...THE BREATH is a large-scale exhibition, which will take place in an old warehouse in London's Finsbury Park from June to September 2007. The latest productions of more than 60 artists will be shown for the first time in London. The exhibition will additionally include screenings, talks, panel discussions, performances, and interventions selected from an astounding range of artworks, which are a survey of a vast and diverse array of international artists addressing the Middle East.
Opening June 22nd 2007, 19.00 - 21.00 pm

A full colour catalogue will accompany the exhibition, with essays by Predrag Pajdic & Paul Ryan, Olivia Snaije, Mahmoud Hojeij, Jalal Toufic, a forward by Sacha Craddock, an introduction by Charles Asprey and interviews with selected artists. 

For further information, essays and interviews, visit: www.infocusdialogue.com

Image Credits: Wael Shawky, AL AQSA PARK, 2006, video installation, courtesy of Townhouse Gallery, Cairo and the artist.

Graphic Design by Ishmael Annobil /  Web Development by Ruzanna Hovasapyan