2019
Workshop: Symbols of Rebelliońn

DATA OF INTEREST

GUEST:
Khaled Jarrar


Synopsis:

The visual artist Khaled Jarrar was born in Palestinian territory, in what is currently the city of Ramallah. Everyday moments as a favorable environment for small acts of resistance are what motivates his art. Jarrar reveals what the daily struggle focused only on survival has hidden from the view of the casual observer. He validates a culture of resistance based on the accumulation of traditional knowledge that can be passed from one generation to the next. It consists of characteristics that have been silenced in everyday people but that have the potential to impact the current reality when they are incorporated into creative acts. During the workshop, he shared a methodology for maximizing the social impact of subjects' hidden characteristics and seemingly ordinary spaces. This is why, when he was in Cuba, Jarrar preferred to work with people outside the art world. The exercise consisted in taking a photo of some corner of their home and neighborhood. Once they stopped to observe what they usually overlooked, they would engage in collective analysis of the phenomenon of reevaluating their immediate surroundings, leading to the recognition of the circumstances that contribute to identity formation. The final event was a dinner for artists and sex workers, aimed at measuring their levels of interaction. The maelstrom of societies in crisis and emerging economies does not preclude the reclaiming and renewal of small treasures, such as the unexpected bonds between human beings. What is seemingly humdrum, once appreciated for qualities that previously went unnoticed, can generate new concepts, empathy, and motivation, which are intrinsic to potential acts of resistance. In 2016 Jarrar received the Anni and Heinrich Sussmann Award, which recognizes international artists that are committed to the ideals of democracy and antifascism. .


Bio:

Khaled Jarrar.
(Palestina, 1980)

Jarrar is a Palestinian visual artist that lives and works in Ramallah. He holds an MFA in fine arts and photography from the University of Arizona. Khaled Jarrar creates work that explores the impact of modern day power on the struggles of ordinary citizens while seeking to maximize the social potential of his artistic endeavors. His work has been shown around the world in spaces such as the New Museum (NYC), Aga Khan Museum (Toronto), USF Contemporary Art Museum (Tampa), Sharjah Biennale, and the 7th Berlin Biennale. Jarrar's solo exhibitions include: Ayyam Gallery, Dubai (2016), Art Bartsch & Cie, Geneva (2015), Galerie Polaris, Paris (2014, 2012); Gallery One, Ramallah (2014); Ayyam Gallery, London (2013); and Galerie Guy Bartschi, Geneva (2013). Recently, he participated in group exhibitions at: Hinterland Gallery, Vienna (2016); Arab World Institute, Paris (2016), Aga Khan Museum, Toronto (2016); Palais De La Culture, Constantine (2015); Maraya Art Centre, Sharjah (2015); New Museum, New York (2014); The University of Applied Arts, Vienna (2014); the 15th Jakarta Biennale (2013); and the 7th Berlin Biennale.