Beirut – The 3rd edition of ArtEvolution is already in full swing, and it’s time to illuminate the next stage of this captivating artistic journey. As the programme unfolds, ArtEvolution is thrilled to introduce the next exciting stage: The participating artists are now being paired with visionary advisors who are guiding them to reach new artistic viewpoints and levels. But that’s not all – ArtEvolution is not merely a programme: it’s an immersive experience culminating in three exhilarating “platform events” that celebrate art’s power to unite communities and break boundaries. Anne Eberhard, Director of the Goethe-Institut Libanon explains that “This programme reflects our ambitions as a cultural institution and our ideas of collaborations which such wonderful partners and artists are involved at its fullest.”
Unveiling the Advisors
As this year’s cohort of artists embarks on their journey toward creative growth, in which they are joined by a formidable team of five exceptional advisors poised to illuminate their path to artistic excellence:
- Hashem Adnan is advising Sara Almoneem. A multifaceted artist based in Beirut, Adnan is a director, writer, actor, and organizer with a passion for performance as a means of re-creating reality.
- Ali Chahrour is advising Marie-Thérèse Ghosn. Renowned for his innovative approach to dance and choreography, Chahrour draws inspiration from Arab myths and the socio-political landscape of Lebanon.
- Raffi Feghali is advising Abraham Younan. Known for his ability to merge improvisational theater and storytelling, Feghali is a theater maker, peacebuilder, and trainer.
- Hanane Hajj Ali is advising Rana Albaba. Not only an accomplished actress, author, and cultural activist, Hajj Ali is also a staunch advocate for freedom of expression and cultural decentralization.
- Lina Khoury is advising Rahaf Jammal. A multifaceted artist with a passion for addressing controversial societal issues through theater, Khoury is a director, playwright, producer, and educator.
Free Platform Events in Hammana, Saida, and Beirut
ArtEvolution promises an extraordinary trifecta of “platform events” set to captivate audiences in Hammana, Saida, and Beirut. These events offer the five artists the opportunity to showcase their talents in diverse cultural settings and proving art’s ability to foster a sense of community and collective appreciation for creativity.
Platform I: Saturday 14 October 2023 at Hammana Artist House, Hammana
5:00 pm: Shedding by Rahaf Jammal
Drops of acid rain start to eat up the city, the radio frequencies, Hala’s skin and Taher’s thoughts. This play is about a couple, Taher and Hala, who spend their evening sharing haunting stories about life, history, and their neighbors, as their city gets drenched by acid rain.
6:00 pm: Daffodils by Marie-Thérèse Ghosn
Daffodils is a dance performance that shares the story of a soul struggling in a body that can’t seem to rest. Through the lens of insomnia, we explore the journey of this being. What keeps us up at night? How can we feel safe and at home in our own bodies again and find refuge from our fears? And if we are fortunate enough to fall asleep, what compels us to rise each morning, and face the new day?
7:15 pm: The Cream Cake Show by Abraham Younan
The Cream Cake Show is a solo theatrical performance of a musical that will be carried out as a live radio show with the main character as host. He continuously has conversations with himself as he shifts through many different characters representing the guests’ different life views aka his own alter egos. The conversations will be interrupted by solo live vocal and musical performances, by the host, depicting love, doubt, morality, hardships, and other deep life themes that are a portrayal of the thoughts that run through one’s mind, eventually leading one to see the world from a personal viewpoint.
8:30 pm: Artist Talk with Abraham Younan
Platform II: Saturday 28 October 2023 at Ishbilia Theater and Art Hub, Saida
6:00 pm: There by Sarah Almoneem
A long journey for a girl filled with a desire for exploration and movement. As she prepares to set out, she will enter places and exit them, searching for life perhaps, freedom, or just a glimmer that reminds her of her constant urge to move. In a world from which there is no escape, she is trapped, but she continues her path. She does not stop, hoping to find in movement what she may have lost along the way.
7:00 pm: Artist Talk with Sarah Almoneem and her advisor Hashem Adnan
7:30 pm: Pink Noise by Rana Albaba
Pink Noise is a “Sonic Ritual”, a project on graphic and verbal notations conceived as a performance installation, about an extreme sonic sensitivity and being haunted by the sounds of the city (especially in times of public turmoil). The work starts from an imaginary sound inside the artist’s head that won’t stop no matter what, her relationship with this sound, how she deals with it, how not to fight it, but not to listen to it blindly. Most importantly, how her sensory overloaded body will interact with its surrounding (how it will walk, talk, move…). Considering it a poetic journey, this work is an invitation inside her haunted head, a way to re-establish her own safe space using tools (an old craft) from her own super invasive culture to weave her own “refuge.”
8:15 pm: Artist Talk with Rana Albaba and Rima Kaddissi
Platform III: Thursday 9, Friday 10 & Saturday 11 November 2023 at Zoukak Theater, Beirut
Thursday 9 November:
7:00 pm: Shedding by Rahaf Jammal
8:00 pm: Artist Talk with Rahaf Jammal and her advisor Lina Khoury
8:30 pm: There by Sarah Almoneem
9:30 pm: Pink Noise by Rana Albaba
Friday 10 November:
7:00 pm: The Cream Cake Show by Abraham Younan
8:30 pm: Daffodils by Marie-Thérèse Ghosn
9:30 pm: Artist Talk with Marie-Thérèse Ghosn
Saturday 11 November:
In the morning: Pitch of eight projects by the Alumni of ArtEvolution and the Alumni of the Zoukak´s Mentorship Program – reserved for professionals and by invitation only
7:00 pm: Two Heads and a Hand by performance by Zoukak Theatre Company
8:00 pm: Networking event and closing party
Free tickets to book on Ihjoz: ArtEvolution 2023 | Platform I, II & III – ihjoz
About ArtEvolution 2023
ArtEvolution 2023 is a funding opportunity by the Goethe-Institut Libanon supported by the Ta’ziz-Partnership fund of the German Federal Foreign Office. ArtEvolution brings years of experience and specialist knowledge to bear upon its mission of equipping Lebanon-based artists working at the forefront of artistic practice, with the expertise to cross boundaries, unleash their creativity, and take their performances to the next level, all whilst helping nurture the region’s growing art landscape.
IG / FB: @artevolutionlebanon
Website: https://www.goethe.de/ins/lb/en/kul/sup/tup/a23.html
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