SINGLE ENTRY
“Beyond the Borders”
MENA Region / Mapping
The term MENA is an English-language acronym referring to the Middle East and North Africa region. The term MENA covers an extensive region, extending from Morocco to Iran, including all Middle Eastern Mashriq and Maghreb countries. The term is roughly synonymous with the term the Greater Middle East. The population of the MENA region at its least extent is considered to be around 381 million people, about 6% of the total world population. The MENA acronym is often used in academia, military planning, disaster relief, and business. *
Due to rich resources, mainly oils and gas, adding with its location between three continents (Asia, Africa and Europe), the MENA region has been at conflict since the collapse of the Ottoman Empire: notably the creation of Israel, a Jewish state among the Arab countries; rise of terrorism; Israeli-Palestinian conflict; Iran-Saudi Arabia proxy conflict; conflict between Berbers and Arabs. It comes to its highest peaks at the 21st century: the U.S. intervention of Iraq at 2003; the rise of ISIS; Arab Spring that spreads wars to whole region such as Syrian Civil War, Iraq War; Libyan Civil War and Yemeni Civil War. *
Each part of MENA region have his own characteristics and attributes, which was formed according to the history of the region's population, occupation, wars, tribes and dialects, on passing through the MENA, it was revealed by the three prophets of the sky loaded with religions to the earth, and despite the fact that the common language is Arabic, but that each country in the MENA speak different accent difficult to understand from the people next door.
Beyond the borders / Point of view
Africa and the Middle East are part of a contained world, where the right of mobility is to be earned. The mere urge to explore and visit places that is part of our human nature requires justification when it comes to people from our side of the world. The fact that a powerful economy that supports the arts and culture is centered in Europe and the US makes traveling around crucial for people in general and in our case for artists, while the endless political instability within our worlds compels us to do so. Whole nations then become pinned and singled out as people who need to prove that they are decent travelers and have not been tainted by their atmosphere—that is their countries of birth—For an African or a Middle Eastern, in order to visit a country you would need a visitor visa, a document that is authorized by the state of the country you are visiting after checking with your own government. We are a group of artists from this side of the world, spending a great deal of our effort and time trying to allocate ways to travel around, Which may or may not succeed.
It is ironic how governments in dictatorships have a say in the intentions and credibility of their citizens. Dictatorships are the reason these nations are being alienated in the first place, one generation after the other. The entrance visa document is only a modern technique used to restrict whole nations, their ideas and their capability to engage in the world and influence others.
Stories from the edges / Theme
Believe it or not, change the features of the formation of the world from the stage of time to another, there are big points comma in people's' lives, created by power struggles, the money and the land, It was and will remain that the MENA region is one of the hottest parts in the world, which controlled by internal and external forces, which determine the transmission of the peoples of the region inside and outside, Since the Arab Spring began, has exacerbated conflicts within the region, all disputes the legitimacy of the other, mobility has become more difficult than it used to be. The possibilities in the region countries became poor more than it should be, that prompting people to doing attempts for traveling to reach work, money and better life, at the time that travel procedures are more tricky.
Yara Mekawei are Cairo-based artist, who decided to put a show based on the question “How many visas do you have on your passport?” Mekawei then put a questionnaire for the other 10 artists, to determine the common grounds and push them to regard the theme of ‘Single entry,’ She is lucky with knowing people since the Arab revolution begins 2011, artists how have extra problems with mobility around the countries, facing obstacles and difficulties while trying to extract travel papers.
She started to collecting personal stories from these artists/friends by asking them sort of question:
How many visas do you have on your passport? / What are the papers required for your visa application? / How does it feel like when you have to meet friends elsewhere because both your countries are not on good terms with one another? / Have you applied for a visa and received one with the wrong dates before? / How many times have you been rejected? / Do you have a bank account with enough money in it? / Is there an embassy in the city/country you are staying? / Have you ever been in trouble with the authorities in your home country? / How does it feel like when people from other countries are not required to apply for a visa while you are?
One of the artists responded to the last question by saying that; “It’s insulting; citizens of certain countries are not trusted to enter other countries without a serious background checking. They are punished because of wrong international politics of their home country. Politics, which in my opinion, have nothing to do with ordinary people.”
Power of the unity / Objectives
“Single Entry” brings together artists from Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Morocco, Syria, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, UAE, Algeria and Tunisia, most of which are not acquainted with one another. Through this exhibition, we are hoping to formulate an artistic visual that allows free mobility within the different cultures.
The realization of ‘Single Entry’ and getting support are a good chance for the participating artists to take their practice overseas. It is a chance for them to meet, exchange ideas and collaborate, on a free, interchangeable platform. ‘Single Entry’ then becomes a physical embodiment of the act of mobility.
Point on the map / Structure
- Engage in artistic events, Mekawei collecting true stories from artists in the MENA region who suffering through traveling, who did not find a good career either life in them countries, She decided to create that project which chronicling real stories through artwork.
- Compilation of artists from different countries, do not know each other personally, most of whom do not speak the same dialect.
- Each artist has his own story, character, background and reflect his country's history and image, each one have his own flag, represent his own personality.
- Most of the artists in the show, do not live in their home countries, which reflect also the new society they living now where it give them more facilities.
- Diversity of the artworks mediums is a big mythology in “Single Entry” project.
Distribution the pattern / Artworks
Artists are rich, not only with the stories behind them mobility, but also with the diversity of the artworks mediums, executions and outcomes. Each one have his own medium which explaining his theory in the art scene.
“Single Entry” is an group exhibition full of varieties of art mediums, video art, sound art, photography, installations, life performance. Panning with the artworks, the viewers would be able to attend a musical performance, then move on to an installation, a photography and onto a drawing installation, followed by a sound installation, a video and then a performance; a planned multicultural trip guided by the artists into their personal and social experiences.
Masterpieces / Artists
Name / Country / MediamYoussef Ouchra / Morocco / Performance
Younes Baba-Ali / Morocco / Video Art
Abdellah M Hassak / Morocco / Music performance
Badr El Hammami / Morocco / Photography
Sama Raena Alshaibi / Iraq/Palestine / Video Art
Gheith Al-Amine / Lebanon / Video Art
Abdel Rahman Mousa / Syria / Video Art
Khaled Barakeh / Syria / Installation
Louisa Babari / Algeria / Sound/Video installation
Hassene Hamaoui / Tunisia / Photography
Mouna Jemal / Tunisia / Photography
Steve Sabella / Palestine / Photography
Edward Salem / Palestine / Video Art
Larissa Sansour
Khaled Ramadan / Palestine
Lebanon / Video Art
Setareh Minoofar / Iran / Video Art
Walid El Sawy / Egypt / Video Art
Hassan Khan / Egypt / Video Art
Lamis Haggag / Egypt / Installation
Nayer Talal / Sudan/Ethiopia / Installation
Abdullah Alothman / Saudi Arabia / Installation
Scenes / Timetable
- Receiving the art projects from the artists.
- Designing the visual identity for the project promotion.
- Booking the flight tickets and accommodation.
- Printing the posters/flyers for the project promotion.
- Shipping the art works to Berlin (for installation), printing the artworks (photography).
- Publish an open call for volunteers in Berlin.
- Working on the social media campaign/ prepare the newsletters for the press.
- Distribution of advertisements in Berlin.
- Preparing the show materials and equipments in the Gallery.
- Meeting the volunteers and distribution of tasks.
- Start setting the show.
- Continue setting the artworks in the Gallery.
- Preparing the opening night schedule with the ( performance, artists talks). And the catering.
- Organizing the press conference with the soft opening.
- Day before the opening: Soft opening for the Critics - journalists - galleries and cultural institutions staff. A word of the curator, granters and director of the gallery with a word from the artists who are can finish the visa to attending the exhibition.
- Opening day: starting with Youssef Ouchra, performance. Soft drinks on Abdullah Hassak music performance.
- Day after opening: video screening for Syrian artists who living in Berlin after asylum rights.
- Third / fourth / fifth day of the exhibition: artists talks.
- Last day of the exhibition: Khaled Barakeh talk about Syria, Germany and the Syrian archive.
Framework
2017December / ∙Receiving the art projects from the artists.
∙Designing the visual identity for the project promotion.
∙Booking the curator flight tickets and accommodation.
2018
January / ∙Printing the posters/flyers for the project promotion.
∙Shipping the art works to Berlin (for installation), printing the artworks (photography).
∙Publish an open call for volunteers in Berlin.
∙Working on the social media campaign/ prepare the newsletters for the press.
2018
February / ∙Distribution of advertisements in Berlin.
∙Preparing the show materials and equipments in the Gallery.
Meeting the volunteers and distribution of tasks.
∙Start setting the show.
2018
March / ∙Continue setting the artworks in the Gallery.
∙Preparing the opening night schedule with the ( performance, artists talks). And the catering.
∙Organizing the press conference with the soft opening.