{"id":259725,"date":"2019-10-11T19:16:34","date_gmt":"2019-10-11T22:16:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/anba.com.br\/?p=259725"},"modified":"2019-10-11T19:52:25","modified_gmt":"2019-10-11T22:52:25","slug":"sesc_videobrasil-brings-arab-artists-work-to-sao-paulo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/anba.com.br\/en\/sesc_videobrasil-brings-arab-artists-work-to-sao-paulo\/","title":{"rendered":"Sesc_Videobrasil brings Arab artists\u2019 work to S\u00e3o Paulo"},"content":{"rendered":"

S\u00e3o Paulo – The Sesc_Videobrasil Contemporary Art Biennial<\/a> is featuring work by eight Arab artists. The event is running from October 9, 2019 to February 2, 2020 at Sesc 24 de Maio, S\u00e3o Paulo. Over 60 works and two collections by 55 artists from 28 countries are on display. Pictured above is a still from a film by Omar Mismar, of Lebanon<\/em>.<\/p>\n

The ongoing 21st<\/sup> edition is themed Imagined Communities, and deals with the rise of nationalism in the world. \u201cSince the focus is on [featuring productions] from the global South, countries that were either colonized or late modernizers, we realized this was an opportunity to invite artists to speak up on this rebirth of nationalism. On a second level, Imagined Communities concerns indigenous peoples and groups that aren\u2019t represented politically, or are represented in a more fragile way,\u201d one of the show\u2019s curators, Gabriel Bogossian, told ANBA.<\/p>\n

The choice of Arab artists adds to the plurality of narratives in the exhibition, which has historically featured Lebanese art, and is now bringing artists from Saudi Arabia and Tunisia for the first time. \u201cThese perspectives hugely broaden our perspective. I believe Arabs are deeply interested in this issue of nationalism. We might describe certain conflicts are underpinned by exacerbated nationalism. Arab artists are some of the torch carriers for this event,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
A video by visual artist Omar Mismar is featured in the Biennial<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

One of the artworks mentioned by Bogossian destaca is a film by Lebanon\u2019s Omar Mismar (pictured). \u201cHis film was made at a gun store in the United States. It deals with issues relevant to our day-to-day in Brazil, with an administration that\u2019s working to facilitate access to weapons. The film discusses gun policy in a very clever way. It prompts reflection by articulating current subjects,\u201d the curator said.<\/p>\n

Nidhal Chamekh of Tunisia has two works featured. One is the video Never Give Up<\/em>, a portrayal of resistance by a group of refugees driven out of a camp in France, in 2016. In protest, they light their dwellings on fire before machines do. The other piece is De Quoi R\u00eavent Les Martys II<\/em> (What Martyrs Dream About II), in paint, lead and transfer on paper.<\/p>\n

Dana Awartani, in turn, was born and lives in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.; Ar\u00e1bia Saudita. She combines traditional elements of Islamic art and contemporary visual art. Her featured piece is I Went Away And Forgot You. A While Ago I Remembered. I Remembered I\u2019d Forgotten You. I Was Dreaming<\/em>, an installation-video combo.<\/p>\n

The other Arab artists are Hiwa K, of Iraq, with a video; Sadik Alfraji, of Iraq, with a graphic animation piece, Hrair Sarkissian, of Syria, with a series of 14 photographs; Maya Shurbaji, of Syria, with a video; and Ahmad Ghossein, of Lebanon, with a video. The artists travelled to Brazil for the festival opening and will remain in the country until Sunday (13).<\/p>\n

A Brazilian in Jordan<\/strong><\/p>\n

One of the Brazilian artists in the Biennial, Jonathas de Andrade of Macei\u00f3, Alagoas, is showing Procurando Jesus<\/em> (Looking for Jesus), an installation made during a stay in Amman, the capital of Jordan. Andrade strolled around the city taking photos of common men, who might be Jesus, to oppose the European notion of a blonde, blue-eyed man. Visitors are given a date fruit and are able to vote on the face that resembles Jesus Christ the most. The work concludes with comments from Amman residents on which image is the most representative to them.<\/p>\n

The Biennial will offer seven prizes, including three artist residencies lasting eight weeks each. One of the residencies is offered in partnership with the Sharjah Art Foundation Residency Programme and will take place in Sharjah, UAE. The award ceremony is slated for October 12.<\/p>\n

Quick facts<\/strong><\/p>\n

21st<\/sup> Sesc _Videobrasil Contemporary Art Biennial \/ Imagined Communities
\nOctober 9, 2019 \u2013 February 2, 2020
\nTuesday-Saturday, 9am-9pm; Sunday-holidays, 9am-6pm
\nRua 24 de Maio, 109, Downtown S\u00e3o Paulo, 300m away from Rep\u00fablica metro station
\nFind out more: +55 (11) 3350-6300 \/ www.bienalsescvideobrasil.org.br<\/p>\n

Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum <\/strong><\/p>\n

Press Release<\/div>\n
Press Release<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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