The ICA is pleased to announce a series of events—entitled Interference—to coincide with the London-wide festival ‘Shubbak: A Window on Contemporary Arab Culture’ in celebration of modern Arab arts, culture, architecture, and design.
Friday 8 July–Sunday 10 July 2011
Providing a social and critical hub at the ICA for the first weekend of the Shubbak Festival, Interference is a three day exploration of the relationship between art, agency and agitation in the Arab world and beyond.
Join us for workshops, talks, film and celebrations all weekend, presented in collaboration with Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art.
Friday 8 July 8pm – Microphone + Introduction
Free screening of a film exploring Alexandria’s underground art scene. Introduced by James Neil, film Curator of Parallax Media.
Saturday 9 July – The Interference Conversations
1:30 pm – Institution as Instigator, with Gilane Tawadros and Deena Chalabi
3:30 pm – Object as Instigator, with curator Jack Persekian & writer and editor Shumon Basar
5:30 pm – Artist As Instigator, with Emily Jacir, Zineb Sedira and Wael Shawky
9pm – late – Interference Party with special guest DJ with artist and experimental musician Raed Yassin
Sunday 10 July – The Interference Workshops
1 pm – You gotta fight for your right (to party!) or Can one be a non-Orientalist? With curator Nav Haq
4 pm – Reanimating Histories, with Egyptian artist Wael Shawky
More information
Free, booking required 020 7930 3647
Speakers include:
Gilane Tawadros is Chief Executive of DACS and was Founding Director of InIVA; Deena Chalabi is Head of Strategy at Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art; Shumon Basar is a writer, editor and Chair of the Global Art Forum at Art Dubai; Jack Persekian is a curator and producer living in Jerusalem; Emily Jacir is an artist living and working between New York, Ramallah and Beirut; Zineb Sedira is an artist living and working between Algiers, Paris and London; Wael Shawky is an artist living and working in Alexandria and founder of MASS Alexandria; Nav Haq is Exhibitions Curator at Arnolfini, Bristol.
About the ICA
The Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) is a not-for-profit, multi-disciplinary arts centre established in 1947 by a collective of artists, poets and writers to showcase and champion contemporary culture across the broadest range of art forms. Housing two galleries, two cinemas, a theatre, reading room, bookshop and café/bar, the ICA has been at the forefront of cultural experiment since its formation and has presented some of the most radical exhibitions, artists, films, music and thought to have shaped our world. It exists today as a committed proponent of contemporary arts practice and new ideas, presenting an international and contextualised programme of work in new and experimental frameworks across a variety of platforms. Entrance to galleries, bookshop, café and bar events is free of charge before 11pm.
About Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, Doha, Qatar
The first institution of its kind in the region, Mathaf supports creativity, promotes dialogue and inspires new ideas about modern and contemporary Arab art. The 5,500-square-meter (59,000-square-foot) Museum, located in a former school building in Doha’s Education City, has a collection that represents the major trends and sites of production of modern Arab art spanning the 1840s through the present. Offering a rare comprehensive overview of modern Arab art, Mathaf also offers programs that engage the local and international community, encourage research and scholarship and contribute to the cultural landscape of the Gulf region, the Middle East and the Arab Diaspora.
Shubbak Festival
London’s first ever celebration of contemporary culture from across the Arab world, will encompass over seventy events in more than thirty key cultural venues throughout the city for three weeks from 4–24 July 2011, organised by the Mayor of London and sponsored by HSBC.
www.london.gov.uk/shubbak
ICA
The Mall
London SW1Y 5AH
ica.org.uk