TALK IN ENGLISH
?Contemporary Art & Culture in a Post conflict Zone?,
Iraq & Beyond 2004 – 2015
TALK and DISCUSSION
Nov 18, 2015 7pm @hinterland
with Adalet R. Garmiany, Iraq
Adalet R. Garmiany is the initiator and founder of artrole, an is an International contemporary arts organisation dedicated to building a cultural bridge between the Middle East and rest of the world, based in Iraqi Kurdistan. He will try to give us an insight of the role of culture in a conflict and postconflict region. He also contributed one video work in the current exhibition – ?memory share? – a performance at the red jail in Kurdistan, with many international artists.
A discussion in the context of the current exhibition ?BEING KURDISH? @hinterland, @Spektakel @15 shop windows in the 4. and 5. district of Vienna.
A lot has been written about war, but there is little available that presents a more comprehensive or positive picture. Most of the media resources focus on inter-ethnic conflict among Iraqis, on civil war, ethnic cleansing and terror bombings and the violence, civil strife and economic hardship that has wrought havoc on the land and its people. Very little is known about contemporary Iraqi life or the multitude of hopes and aspirations for the future. The ArtRole Art, Culture & Education exchange programme addressed this mis-representation and to present a more accurate and more positive picture of Iraqi Kurdistan today as well as tackling the challenges facing the country in the generations ahead. This presentation of ArtRole?s Ten years Exchange Programme aims to move beyond the cliches and stereotypes that usually attach to discussions around war situations and to ask, but not necessarily find answers to, critical questions that will move the agenda onwards.
What is the true and purposeful role of culture, creativity and learning in conflict and post-conflict landscapes? How does culture assist in journeys towards peace? What exactly does or might the artist and the intellectual bring to the situation? And take from the situation? In highly volatile and complex contexts what new capacities, skills and understandings are required in the cultural and creative community? In facing the future is the notion of healing a necessary objective? How important is an interrogation of the past in moving to the future? How important is memorialisation? In places of the collision of fundamentally opposing cultural mindsets and of highly contested narratives about the future, the present and the past how important is the ambiguity and betweeness, knowing disorientation and magical thinking, irreverence and independence or playfulness and joyfulness that artists can bring? Is humour a tool in peace making?.
Adalet R. Garmiany is a British & Kurdish Iraqi artist, curator and Chief Executive/Founder of ArtRole, an International based contemporary arts organization developing international cultural exchanges with the Middle East. Adalet has been forging important cultural and artistic relationships between Iraq, UK, USA, and other countries facilitating artistic dialogue, exchange and mutual support. He has inspired a number of artists including Richard Wilson, Anne Bean, the US Magnum photographer Susan Meiselas, to work with him on his intercultural projects and introduced them to Iraqi Kurdistan by organizing cross cultural visits, dialogues and exhibitions. Richard Wilson?s seminal installation 20:50 was shown as part of the Kurdish region?s first ever international event Post-War Art & Culture Festival 7-9 November 2009. Adalet?s vision is to develop greater cultural understanding, debate and co- operation between the West and Iraq with a determination to bring about social change through art.
ArtRole
is an International contemporary arts organisation dedicated to building a cultural bridge between the Middle East and rest of the world facilitating artistic dialogue, exchange and mutual support. It works to establish harmonious connections through the medium of art and education. ArtRole was established in 2004 after second Gulf war and has used its contemporary art roots to help bring to the attention of the world the impact of conflicts and also the problems facing minorities in Kurdistan, Iraq and the M.E.N.A region overall. ArtRole highlights current events both locally and globally, include human rights issues, freedom of speech and communication between genders, diverse communities, environmental.
https://www.facebook.com/ArtRole-215054735224605/?fref=ts
http://artrole.org/