Monday 22 January 2018

صورة الجميلة


This picture was used for an event on facebook and I loved it so completely the moment I saw it that I downloaded it and now I am posting it here.

I don't yet know how to reverse search for it, to find the artist's and the photographer's names. I would then do a search and make a series of contrasting pictures or works I love the most, video of the artist talking about his/her work. pic of the artist too.

So a perfect small exhibition.

Saturday 20 January 2018

field niggas - khalik allah



i clicked on this on fb because of the words homeless and harlem, then his name caught my eye

https://www.streethunters.net/blog/2014/08/19/khalik-allah/ about seeing his work

https://vimeo.com/105240463 trailer - go for it, feel this

https://www.ica.art/whats-on/field-niggas read the article and then take it slowly with the q and a with the ica audience, go right to the end, question by question, give it time, give yourself time

https://vimeo.com/97047860 khamaica - this gives us his grandfather and spiritual blessings, it's hard to listen to his voice, but sink into it, you might recognise the christianity which is so familiar to us, this sound track needs transcribing - but who is the film maker?

https://vimeo.com/120740667?from=outro-embed show how he works and he speaks about it - again, who is the film maker?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tD_JRkfq_M he speaks about his work

Lexington 125

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Y-JRSZCzYc the velvet underground with lou reed singing in 1966 wow i have never heard this before

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxqGxuj3Bu8 bowie waiting for the man 1969-1972 i have never heard this version either


Monday 1 January 2018

Qisetna - My questions to one of the founders, Juan Del Gado, and his answers



- What exact moment moved you (Juan) and the two other co-founders to start the Qisetna project?

In late 2013, I met two young Syrians who were living in London; we talked about setting up a project online in which we could collect stories from Syrians displaced internally, crossing borders, and resettling across Europe. I also came across a blog that was promoting Arab Culture in London, ran by media students at City University. I contacted one of them, Julia Rampen, who had graduated and started to work as a young journalist. After several meetings, we launched the bilingual blog in early 2014 as a volunteer-led project.

- How has running this project affected you, Dima and Julia most deeply?

When we started, we were not aware of the tremendous impact this project would have in our lives. In our project, we have been approaching Syrians whose lives had been turned upside down, losing relatives and friends, fleeing their hometowns, their homes, jobs... crossing borders, jumping on inflatable boats, walking hundreds of kilometers, sleeping rough in the open fields, in cities of countries across Europe...above all having been deprived of their dignity as human beings. Being in touch with them, listening to hundreds of young people, the elderly and children telling their stories of loss broke our hearts many times. Their words had a huge impact on our perception and understanding of how European Institutions failed to provide basic humanitarian assistance to them. We also learned of the extraordinary resilience of individuals determined to carry on, do whatever in their hands to survive and protect their families and friends.

Through their stories we could understand the colossal tragedy of Syrian people who, from having a normal life, were thrown into a huge vortex of uncertain future. In Qisetna, we gradually understood that our project is more than a collection of stories; when Syrians contribute with their stories and testimonies, they are challenging humanity to connect with them as human beings, victims of an unimaginable disaster.

We have become the bridge over which readers who find difficult to understand this terrible war, can access Syrians as people who love music and the arts, individuals with an ancient culture and identity, who mainstream media have overlooked in the many years of this conflict. 

Last month we received the National Archive and Community Award (ACA), and also were shortlisted for the Arab British Culture Award 2017

We were thrilled with the recognition of our work which we wanted to extend to all our supporters and contributors. More than ever, we realise how important this project is to preserve the cultural identity of the Syrian diaspora for future generations to have access to first hand stories from those who lived through displacement and loss.
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