Mousse Magazine – Cities Under Quarantine
March 2020 ushered in a time of confinement, and the world stood still. Since the Coronavirus outbreak escalated into a global pandemic, artists have found deeper meaning in their personal spaces and studios – not just as places of production but as sanctuaries and safe spaces. We see a desire to engage artistically with many of our friends around the world who all now find themselves creating art from home, even with the most limited of materials. Older work is being revisited and rethought while projects long since placed on pause are resumed in an entirely new light. This shift to the intimate and personal reminded us, now more than ever, that art will always be an essential practice expressive of extraordinary times.
Rather than losing oneself in the feelings of idleness and solitude that came with the lockdown, artist, curator and co-founder of Dongola Projects, Abed Al Kadiri, launched a new project titled “Cities under quarantine: The Mailbox Project.”
Inspired by a quote from American artist John Baldessari from his book Ingres and Other Parables: “it’s difficult to put a painting in the mailbox.” The project leans into the tangibility and interactivity of an artist’s book, making the exhibition an emphasis on the notion of creating hand-held artwork that can be viewed outside gallery walls.
In April 2020, the Artist’s Books designed by Reza Abedini were shipped out to 57 artists scattered in 19 cities around the world starting with Beirut, Lebanon ending with Ramallah, Palestine. It was an invitation to join us in thinking along the same lines, through a practice we have devoted ourselves to for the past few years. We believe in the relevance of the artist’s book today, now more than ever.
On the 4th of September 2021, “Cities Under Quarantine – The Mailbox Project” finds itself once again on the road, heading this time to Florence, Italy. Villa Romana will open its doors to host the finished artist’s books in four chapters for a duration of 4 months.
Conceived and curated by Abed Al Kadiri.
Participating artists: Youssef Abdelke, Reza Abedini, Majd Abdel Hamid, Khalid Albaih, Bashar Al Hroub, Lulwah Al Humoud, Abed Al Kadiri, Mohamed Al Shammarey, Mounira Al Solh, Walid Al Wawi, Heba Amin, Dia Azzawi, Said Baalbaki, Dalia Baasiri, Khaled Barakeh, Serwan Baran, Dia Batal, Taysir Batniji, Zoulikha Bouabdellah, Ali Cherri, Ziad Dalloul, Cristiana De Marchi, Fatima El Hajj, Tanya Habjouka, Dina Haddadin, Gilbert Hage, Samia Halabi, Hazem Harb, Mohamed Joha, Nadia Kaabi-Linke, Hiba Kalache, Mohammad Kazem, Ammar Khamash, Khaled Khreis, Ghada Khunji, Issam Kourbaj, Sadik Kwaish Alfraji, Ahmad Mater, Kevork Mourad, Leila Muraywid, Moataz Nasr, Mahmoud Obaidi, Mohammad Omar Khalil, Sadek Rahim, Nizar Sabour, Faisal Samra, Mona Saudi, AbdulRahim Sharif, Laila Shawa, Hoda Tawakol, Mary Tuma, Nazar Yahya, Raed Yassin, Fadi Yazigi, Shawki Youssef Camille Zakharia, Hani Zurob.
At Villa Romana, Florence
until December 18, 2021
Source
“Cities Under Quarantine: The Mailbox Project” at Villa Romana, Florence
Mousse Magazine – Cities Under Quarantine
