Reza Abdoh, an influential Iranian theater maker, pushed the boundaries of theater in his brief career, addressing harsh political realities through hallucinatory landscapes. This catalog features essays on his impact, interviews, conversations with collaborators, and scripts, reflecting on his legacy before his untimely death at 32.
In an insightful essay, cultural critic and curator Negar Azimi discusses the challenges faced by photographers in the Arab Middle East, where "taswir" (picture making) is often viewed as prohibited by Muslim law, leading to the adage "mamnous el taswir" (forbidden to photograph) that permeates the photographer's experience. This context enriches the unprecedented collection showcasing the Arab world through the lenses of 56 Arab and Western photographers, making it a unique survey. Western audiences will discover multiple generations of male and female photographers who have remained largely unknown outside the region. Originally created for the acclaimed "Nazar" exhibition at the Noorderlicht Festival in the Netherlands, this compilation represents the largest display of Arab photographs ever shown in the West. Spanning documentary and fine art photography from North Africa to Lebanon, Palestine, Iraq, Syria, and Saudi Arabia, the book unveils a world often hidden from view. Notable contributions include Nadia Benchallal's black-and-white portraits reflecting the Algerian-French experience and Randa Shaath's documentation of a shadow society of rooftop dwellers in Cairo. "Nazar," meaning "seeing, insight, reflection" in Arabic, challenges stereotypes and reveals the intricate realities of Arab life often overlooked in mainstream media.
The first volume of Vitamin P, published in 2002, inaugurated a vibrant period for painting. Since its publication, a whole new generation of painters has emerged, some inspired by the artists who appeared in that book, others taking cues from new sources.? Vitamin P2: New Perspectives in Painting introduces this new wave of painters to the world.The vast medium of painting continues to be a central pillar of artistic practice, and Vitamin P2 presents the outstanding artists who are currently engaging with and pushing the boundaries of the medium. Over 80 international critics, artists and curators have nominated the 115 artists who have made a fresh, unique or innovative contribution to recent painting. All of the artists in Vitamin P2 have recently emerged onto the international scene, and none appeared in the first Vitamin P.An introduction by Barry Schwabsky, who also wrote the introduction for Vitamin P, provides a broad overview of recent developments in the medium while also looking towards its future.
Das Katalogbuch 'Susan Hefuna - xcultural codes' erscheint anlässlich der gleichnamigen Ausstellung die von 01. Februar 2004 bis 14. März 2004 im Kunstverein Heidelberg, vom 03. April 2004 bis 16. Mai 2004 in der Stadtgalerie Saarbrücken, vom 29. Mai 2004 bis 17. Juli 2004 im Bluecoats Art Centre Liverpool, von 10. Oktober 2004 bis 03. November 2004 in der Townhouse Gallery Kairo und von 27. November 2004 bis 23. Januar 2005 in der Galerie der Stadt Backnang gezeigt wird.