Moderator: Tara Dugaither
Panellists: Mohammed Hammad and Emy Kat

Abstract: A conversation focussing on artists responses to Jeddah, involving mythmaking, preservation, the camera as place, the editing and production process, the impact of livingw abroad and returning, the ways different mediums are used to translate real life experiences and memories, often from childhood.

BIOGRAPHY
Tara Dugaither is a Dhahran-born writer and singer who practices transdisciplinary curating through an exploration of transient documents in the framework of contemporary art. She graduated with an MA in Culture, Criticism and Curation, London's Central Saint Martin's (2014) and continues her independent practice through short publications, participations in conferences, artist talks, performance, and critical panels. She moved back home to Saudi Arabia in 2018 and has worked on projects at Athr Gallery and Hayy Jameel.

Mohammed Hammad was born in Jeddah in 1983. A film director and multi- disciplinary artist, he has recently moved back to Jeddah after spending over 30 years in London, Paris, Dubai and New York. His recent films include #INFINITESINCE83, 2019, commissioned by Athr gallery, and Remember Me, 2019 made in al-Balad, Jeddah.
 
Emy Kat (Mohamed Alkhatib) was born in Jeddah in 1959, grew up in Lebanon and is currently based in Paris. He was introduced to photography by his father Kanaan Alkhatib at the age of twelve and studied at Brooks Institute of Photography, in Santa Barbara, California. He participated in 21,39 Jeddah Arts for its first edition in 2014 (Moallaqat), & 5th edition in 2018 (Refusing to be Still). His project on the old city of Jeddah, titled The Everlasting Now (2012-2015) in collaboration with Athr Art, was the first contemporary art project to spread awareness about the ancient city's heritage. Exhibited in various group and solo shows, one of which was a solo at Bayt Nasif, part of the cultural programme during the 3rd edition of 21,39.

Moderator: Dr Huda Smitshuijzen AbiFarès
Panellists: Manal AlDowayan, Lujain Faqerah and Louisa Macmillan

Abstract: The book as an art form occupies a venerated place in Arab and Islamic culture. It is a place, or makan, where several artistic practices converge, and where text and its material visualisation take place in a time-based and intimate manner. When does a work of art need to take the share of a book, what is the form that the ’book’ may take? What scale should it take and how should it physically be experienced, or read? These and some more questions will be explored in this panel in relation to the dafatir of Dia al-Azzawi, Ghassan Ghaib and Nazar Yahya and new works by Manal AlDowayan and Lujain Faqerah.

BIOGRAPHY
Dr. Huda Smitshuijzen AbiFarès is an independent researcher, writer, curator, designer and publisher. She is the Founding Director of the Khatt Foundation and Khatt Books publishers, in Amsterdam. She holds degrees in design and design history from Leiden University (PhD), Yale University (MFA), and Rhode Island School of Design (BFA). She has published several books and essays on design from the Arab World. She is member of AGI (Alliance Graphique Internationale).
 
Louisa Macmillan is an independent editor, writer, curator and translator specialising in modern and contemporary Arab Art. She was the Eisler curator of modern and contemporary Middle Eastern Art at the British Museum (2010–12) and is currently Head of Research and Archives at Azzawi Art, London (2015–present). 
 
Embracing diverse media, Manal AlDowayan's work encompasses black and white photography, sculpture, video, sound, neon and large- scale participatory installations. Her artistic practice revolves around themes of invisibility, active forgetting, archives, and collective memory, with a large focus on the status of women and their representation.
 
Lujain Faqerah is a Jeddah based artist and psychotherapist. She creates her pieces based around the merging of psychology and art mainly to pause and reflect on her constantly changing art identity. Art therapy and Narrative therapy techniques are used as part of the exploration of art materials to creatively retell stories of emotional experiences.

Moderator: Maya El Khalil 
Panellists: Badr Ali, Bashaer Hawsawi, Çağla Ilk and Larissa Fassler 

Abstract: In June 2021 the Istikshaf programme, a digital and physical networking and capacity building scheme, was initiated by SAC, Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Jeddah and the Goethe-Institut. The aim of the programme is to build networks, enhance hands-on capacities and exchange between artists and cultural practitioners from Saudi Arabia and Germany. The first edition of the programme concentrated around the topics of working in the public space and included virtual studio visits at the Studio Olafur Eliasson, ZK/U Zentrum für Kunst und Urbanistik, talks and mentoring sessions by artists and curators including Venetia Porter. The second part of the programme will be a study tour to Germany in June 2022 to visit the Berlin Biennale and documenta. Badr Ali and Bashaer Hawsawi were two of the Istkishaf artists whose work is featured in Amakin and the discussion will centre on the impact such a programme has had on their practice. Panellists will critically consider the connections that can be built both in the digital realm and in a physical exhibition, the importance of place and direct encounters with art. 

BIOGRAPHY
Maya El Khalil is an independent curator and art advisor, based in Oxford, UK. As founding director of Athr in Jeddah from 2009–2016 she pioneered exhibition approaches and cultural exchange making significant contributions to the establishment and development of the contemporary art scene in Saudi Arabia. For the last decade, she has continued to work locally, regionally and internationally with artists, collectors and institutions, focusing on progressive socially engaged, multidisciplinary exhibitions that address the environmental and climate emergency. In 2020, she curated the 7th edition of 21,39 Jeddah Arts under the title I Love You, Urgently.
 
Badr Ali was born in San Francisco in 1992 and has lived in the UK, France, Germany and Saudi Arabia. The act of drawing is deep-rooted within his practice as a painter. His recent explorations into printmaking techniques have allowed him to experiment with transferring his ideas on paper to silkscreen, to create something entirely new. 
 
Bashaer Hawsawi was born in 1992 and is based in Jeddah. Her artworks highlight the changing nature of our daily realities, researching and experimenting with materials which connect cultures, expressions, emotions and ideas. She participated in the 87th edition of 21,39 Jeddah Arts in 20210, Secrets of the AlidadesI Love You, Urgently.
 
Çağla Ilk works in theory and practice at the interface of architecture, visual arts, sound, and performance. She was born in Istanbul, studied architecture at the Technical University Berlin and the Mimar Sinan University Istanbul. Since May 2020, Çağla İlk together with Misal Adnan Yıldız is the Director of the Staatliche Kunsthalle Baden-Baden. In 2021, she was the curator of the main exhibition of 06.Ural Biennial with Assaf Kimmel and Misal Adnan Yıldız. 
 
Larissa Fassler is an artist based in Berlin and an Istiskhaf mentor. Her artistic practice reflects her interest in the architecture of cities and the symbiotic relationships between people and places. She was born in Vancouver, Canada, but has lived and worked in Berlin, Germany for more than 20 years. Her work has been exhibited in solo and group exhibitions internationally, recently at Currier Museum of Art in Manchester, New Hampshire, USA, The Bröhan Museum, Berlin and The National Gallery of Canada. Her work was nominated for the 2018 MAC International Contemporary Art Prize, Belfast and the 2019 Berlin Art Prize.

March 10 – 12, 2022

Miniature painting Workshop by Imran Quraishi
 
Miniature painting is a very old technique which had its high bloom during the Mughal Era in the 16th and 17th century on the subcontinent. It is a traditional painting technique which still has its fascination. Imran Qureshi took this technique as starting point for astonishing and wonderful new contemporary developments.’
 
Imran Qureshi's introductory course will focus on the centuries-old traditional technique of miniature painting from the Indian subcontinent. The course will evolve around preparation of materials, including brush-making, wasli-papermaking, and processing the paints/pigments in a traditional way. Demonstrations will also be an important part throughout the course, which will include different techniques of making a miniature painting (pencil, Siyyah Qalam, Gad’rang, gilding and border-making). During the course, Imran Qureshi will also talk about the revival of contemporary miniature painting in Pakistan.
 
The basic objective of this course is to encourage conceptual work in the participants after they have been introduced to certain traditional skills and gained an understanding of the ancient art form of miniature painting.

BIOGRAPHY
Imran Qureshi, born in Hyderabad (PK) in 1972, lives and works in Lahore (PK). He is known for his unique aesthetic which combines the motifs, symbolism and ornamental techniques of 16th- and 17th-century Mughal miniature painting with current issues and the formal language of contemporary abstract painting. In 2011, Qureshi was awarded the Sharjah Biennial Prize for his site-specific installation Blessings upon the land of my love, which marked his international breakthrough. In 2013, he was Deutsche Bank’s Artist of the Year followed by the rooftop commission of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Imran Qureshi is Assistant Professor in the department of Fine Arts at the National College of Arts in Lahore.
 
 

Sunday 13th to Thursday 17th March 2022

We will be working together to explore the history of AlBalad, its patterns, it’s layers, textures and visual coherence, working toward creating a large installation that grows with time extracted from our analysis of the site. The installation will invite everyone to engage and personalize their own space in Zawiya 97, the main goal is to have the space intriguing for children, and create room for them to change it into their own place.

About MOI 
MOI is a collaborative platform working to develop programs beyond
the boundaries of institutional settings to get the youth to animate their
creative thinking, develop experiential skills and invent new experiences.
Through our MOI approach children will start becoming equipped
to support the development of these much-needed skills of the next
decade outlined by WEF; creativity, collaboration and interpersonal
skills.

This workshop will cover 5 parts of different techniques including a brief history about bookbinding, experimenting, and creating. It will begins with a discussion on the exhibition and a chance to view and handle a selection of sketchbooks for inspiration. Through guided conversations and exercises, participants will respond creatively to these resources and techniques, then use them as inspirations for a new writing or drawing handmade sketchbook.

Speaker: Ayman Jamal 

BIOGRAPHY
Ayman Jamal is the Founder and Producer of Barajoun Entertainment, a leading animation and visual effects studio in the MENA region, based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

From miniatures on paper to large scale works on canvas, video art and site specific installations Imran Qureshi’s work is rooted in the miniature painting traditions of Mughal India. Through the traditional techniques he studied and now teaches at the National College of Arts in Lahore, he tells new stories. In this illustrated talk, Imran Qureshi whose work is included in the Amakin exhibition, discusses his ideas and his practice. 

BIOGRAPHY
Imran Qureshi, born in Hyderabad (PK) in 1972, lives and works in Lahore (PK). He is known for his unique aesthetic which combines the motifs, symbolism and ornamental techniques of 16th- and 17th-century Mughal miniature painting with current issues and the formal language of contemporary abstract painting. In 2011, Qureshi was awarded the Sharjah Biennial Prize for his site-specific installation Blessings upon the land of my love, which marked his international breakthrough. In 2013, he was Deutsche Bank’s Artist of the Year followed by the rooftop commission of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Imran Qureshi is Assistant Professor in the department of Fine Arts at the National College of Arts in Lahore.
 
Venetia Porter is a curator of Islamic and Contemporary Middle East art at the British Museum where she has been since 1989. She has a BA in Arabic and Persian and an MPhil in Islamic Art from the University of Oxford. Her PhD from the University of Durham is on the history and architecture of Medieval Yemen.

Sunday-Thursday 17th-18th-19-20th-21st April 2022

Over the span of 1 week we will go with children on the journey to explore
their imagination to create a whimsical world. Children will be working on
a collaborative installation to bring their dream world alive. They will be
designing, coding, and crafting to create their own mixed media dream
world.

About MOI 
MOI is a collaborative platform working to develop programs beyond
the boundaries of institutional settings to get the youth to animate their
creative thinking, develop experiential skills and invent new experiences.
Through our MOI approach children will start becoming equipped
to support the development of these much-needed skills of the next
decade outlined by WEF; creativity, collaboration and interpersonal
skills.

Sunday-Wednesday 8th-9th-10th-11th May 2022

The workshop is a 4 day program designed to nurture interest in the fundamentals of composition, lighting, street photography and creative portraiture specially tailored for 15-18 year old 

BIOGRAPHY
Zaynab is an experienced commercial photographer and educator with over 15 years teaching experience. She has a demonstrated history of community-based projects that foster clearer understanding of communities through creative learning. Zaynab is driven to mentor and foster dialogue by promoting arts in the community and engaging in cross-cultural experiences.

Moderator: Nawaf Al Nassar
Panellists: Bader Albalawi and Turki Gazzaz
 
Language: Arabic & English
 
BIOGRAPHY
Nawaf Nahar Al Nassar founder of 3njeddah and SAC board member
www.3n-jeddah.com
Nawaf’s main interest in developing the concept of interior design according to each individual’s environment.
He received a bachelor's degree in 1990 from from the American college of London in interior design, and has worked in the field since then.
 
Bader Awwad AlBalawi was born in Al Khafji in 1985 and is a photographer and writer based in Khobar, Saudi Arabia. In 2014 he published his first photobook Road to the North: 85 Scenes You May Spot on Your Way to the Northwest Saudi Arabia. 
 
Turki Gazzaz was born in 1988 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. His professional experience includes architectural design, academia, research, real estate development, and curating. He has worked with established international and local design practices on a wide range of projects from the residential to the institutional. Together with his brother, Abdulrahman, they founded Bricklab, an interdisciplinary design studio. Mainly research driven, their studio focuses on the complex networks of community, society, history, economy and politics as they influence the built environment. Spanning a variety of modes of cultural production including curation, art, design, and research, their work has been exhibited at the Venice Biennale, Salone del Mobile, MAAT Lisbon, Shubbak Festival, and the Diriyah Biennale.
 
Saudi Modern
Saudi Modern is a multidisciplinary initiative founded by Jeddah-based architecture and design studio Bricklab. This project aims to unfold the narrative of modern development since the former decades of the 20th century by focusing on architecture and urbanism across the different cities, towns, and villages in the Kingdom.