Thursday 22 January 2009, 14.00–18.00

SOLD OUT

Day One: Thursday 22 January 2009
Tate Britain, Clore Auditorium,  14.00–16.00

14:00–14:15
Introduction

Session One: Defining the Middle East

How do we define the Middle East? Can the Middle East be understood as a fixed physical entity or is it a dynamic and shifting definition, moulded by changing historical, social and political realities? What place does the diaspora play in defining contemporary Middle Eastern culture? This session investigates contemporary and historical definitions of the Middle East and how these impact on the making and distribution of art.

14.15–14.45
Keynote Talk: Derek Gregory (Professor of Geography, University of British Colombia, Vancouver)

14:45–15:30
Panel Discussion with Issa Touma (artist, curator and founder of Le Pont Art Organization and Gallery, Aleppo Syria), Zineb Sedira (artist),Rahraw Omarzad (editor, Gahnama-e-Hunar and founder, Centre for Contemporary Art,Afghanistan), Yto Barrada (artist and founder of Cinematheque Tangiers), Eyal Weizman (director, Centre for Research Architecture, GoldsmithsCollege) (tbc) and chaired by David Elliott (artistic director, Sydney Biennale).

15.30–15.45
Questions

15:45–16:15
Tea

Session Two: Writing and Translation

How does the interpretation and contextualisation of modern and contemporary art from the Middle East effect its understanding at home and abroad? What is lost in the process of translation and how can it be reclaimed to encourage deeper and more nuanced readings? This session explores writing on art and translation as well as broader issues of access and interpretation.

16:15–-16:45
Keynote Talk: Mourid Barghouti (poet and author, I Saw Ramallah)

16:45–17:30
Panel Discussion with Mourid Barghouti, Negar Azimi (senior editor, Bidoun)) Pat Binder (artist, curator, publisher, Nafas Art Magazine),  Gerhard Haupt (art-historian, curator and publisher, Nafas Art Magazine) Nada Shabout (Associate Professor Art History, University North Texas)and Anas Al-Shaikh (artist and curator),Chaired by Salah Hassan (Professor, Cornell University and editor, nka)

17:30–17:45   
Questions

18:00            
End/Drinks served

 

Day Two: Friday 23 January 2009
Tate Modern, Starr Auditorium, 10.30-18.00

Session Three: Art Now: Recent Exhibitions

10:30–13:00

There has been a proliferation of exhibitions of contemporary Middle Eastern art both in the region and abroad. This session will be dedicated to presentations by curators and artists reflecting on recent exhibitions and curatorial projects. Speakers include: Stuart Comer, Suzanne Cotter, Catherine David, November Paynter, Khalil Rabah and Andrew Renton.

Session  Four: Tradition and Modernity

14:15–14:45       
Keynote talk: Salah Hassan (Professor, Art History, Cornell University)
What were the specific conditions out of which modern and contemporary art emerged in the Middle East? How have ideas about tradition and modernity played out within this context? This session looks at how definitions of tradition and modernity have shifted over time and in different national contexts in the Middle East.

14:45–15:30      
Panel Discussion with Salah Hassan, Khalil Rabah (artist and director, Riwaq Biennale, Ramallah), Dr Khalid Khreis (director,Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts, Amman), Dina Ramadan (PhD student, Columbia University), Abdul-Raheem Sharif (founder, The Flying House, Dubai) and Michael Rakowitz (artist). Chaired by Vasif Kortun (curator and director, Platform, Istanbul)

15:30–15.45:     
Questions

15:45–16:15                   
Tea

Session Five: The Politics of Space

What will be the impact of new and emerging spaces for seeing and exhibiting modern and contemporary art in different parts of the Middle East? This session looks at the spatial politics of art in the Middle East from major architectural developments in the Gulf such as Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi to more fluid institutional spaces for art  such as the Sharjah Biennial and the ‘Home Works’ international forum in Beirut.

16:15–16:45       
Keynote Talk: Shumon Basar, author of Cities from Zero

16:45–17:30      
Panel Discussion with  Shumon Basar, Jack Persekian (artistic director, Sharjah Biennial & director, Al Ma’mal Foundation for Contemporary Art), Wael Shawky (artist), William Wells (director,Townhouse Gallery, Cairo), Oreet Ashery (artist and fellow at Queen Mary University), Suha Shoman (founder, Darat al Funun, Amman), Christine Tohme (curator & founder, Ashkal Alwan.Chaired by Jack Persekian.

17:30–17:45     
Questions

18:00               
End/Drinks served.

Tate Britain  Auditorium
£40 (£30 concessions), booking recommended

SOLD OUT