After an incredible response to the Young Shubbak artist call-out, we are happy to announce that the pairings for Bayti Baytek (My Home Is Your Home) have been selected. Working in collaboration with our Shubbak Festival alumni, the artists we have chosen are Nour Annan, Nada Elkalaawy and Doha Aboelezz. They are paired with Joe Namy, Enkidu Khaled, and Reem Karssli respectively. We are so excited to see what these pairs produce!
The artists have helped us get to know them better by answering some questions about their craft and their quarantine experiences, which we would like to share with you.
We’re starting with Joe Namy and Nour Annan who are using The Bedroom as the prompt for their collaboration.
Joe Namy
Joe Namy is a Lebanese, London-based media artist and composer. He performed at the 2015 Shubbak Festival.
He is often preoccupied with questions of memory, power, identity and technology as they relate to ‘organised sound’ and music. A turning point in his career was going through Ashkal Alwan’s Home Workspace programme in 2012.
Nour Annan
Nour Annan is a Lebanese writer, photographer and interdisciplinary artist.
She spends her time between the stage, paper, camera and screen. She experiments across art-forms to tell stories, finding that the story chooses the medium that best brings it to life. Her recent work explores themes of memory, transience, home and revolution. She is a part-time editor at Rusted Radishes and a full-time storyteller.
What three words best describe your practice?
Sounds. Politics. Collaboration.
What three words best describe your practice?
Intimate. Nostalgic. Curious.
Describe a moment in your career that was pivotal.
Going through Ashkal Alwan’s Home Workspace programme in 2012 was a transformational experience. It helped me to think about how to expand my practice and the kinds of influences and ideas I was introduced to.
What drew you to this project?
This project offered something new and exciting, and a chance to work on something unique during a time that is, for the most part, quite demotivating for artists. The rapid timeline is exciting and challenging, and I liked that it is directed towards young Arab artists, who really need the support.
Do you have advice for young artists navigating quarantine?
Hold on as best as you can. It’s a very precarious time for artists. A friend sent me this recommendation from the Radical Well-Being Center: Release, prioritise self-care, talk it out and get empowered.
How can artists of your generation feel more supported at the moment?
It is difficult to be a self-sufficient artist in a late capitalist world. I believe we need platforms with educational and financial support above all.