CHASING MIRRORS: REFLECTIONS ON IDENTITY, ART AND CULTURE
Organisation: National Portrait Gallery
Time: 14 October 2011 10:00am - 08 January 2012 6:00pm
Place: National Portrait Gallery, St. Martin's Place, London WC2
National Portrait Gallery Presents
CHASING MIRRORS: Reflections on Identity, Art and Culture
Chasing Mirrors is a season that focuses on contemporary visual art and culture inspired by connections with the greater Middle East. It offers no single unifying viewpoint but a global mix of voices and perspectives of storytellers, calligraphers, poets, artists, dancers, historians and writers.
Chasing Mirrors: My Portrait, Shape by Shape (showing until 8 January 2012) is an installation of new work reflecting on portraiture and concepts of representation and identity. British-Iraqi artist Athier Mousawi has collaborated on this participatory art project with young people from community partners An-Nisa, Paiwand and Tallo. Their dialogue, creative conversations and cultural exchange form this installation. Athier will be joined by Marc Woodhead on Sunday 4 December at 1-4pm to lead a young people's (14-21 years) workshop The Shape of You.
The Arab British Centre is proud to be working in partnership with the National Portrait Gallery to present Unchained, a performance of contemporary dabke (Arab folk dance) by UK-based Palestinian dance company Al Zaytouna. The performance will be accompanied by live music and will explore the pursuit of democracy in the Arab world. This event takes place on Thursday 24 November at 8pm and will be preceded by a talk on The Changing Faces of Anglo-Arab History by the Oxford University historian Eugene Rogan at 7pm.
Other forthcoming highlights in the season include a poetry event by the Iraqi Adnan Al Sayegh on 18 November at 7pm; a discussion on Participatory Art Practice on 25 November at 7pm; a literary event Stranger Magic: Charmed States and the Arabian Nights on 1 December at 7pm; music by Oud player Khyam Allami on 2 December at 6.30pm; a talk by Malu Halasa on Middle Eastern and North African Portraiture, Photography, Art, Documentary, Illustration and Fashion Today on 8 December at 7pm. Mustafa Ja'far will lead an Arabic Calligraphy workshop on 11 December at 11am to 5pm (fee: £70/£50).
All events are free (unless otherwise stated) with no booking required except for workshops:
The Shape of You on 4 December | Call 020 7306 0055
Arabic Calligraphy workshop on 11 December | Book online or call 020 7306 0055
All events take place at the National Portrait Gallery, St. Martin's Place, London WC2H 0HE
Download the full programme | More Info