Ala Younis

National Works, Kuwait’s first Pavilion at the 55. International Art Exhibition - la Biennale di Venezia. Under the general theme of “The Encyclopedic Palace”, proposed by Massimiliano Gioni director of this edition, the exhibition National Works explores two major works by sculptor Sami Mohammad (b. 1943) along with a new photographic project by Tarek Al Ghoussein (b. 1962). The exhibition project disassembles symbols of grandeur in paused/post glorious times, in an attempt to re-interpret Kuwait’s modernization project.
Commissioner: National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters, Kuwait.
Palazzo Michiel, 4391/A Strada Nova, Cannaregio, Venezia (1.6 - 24.11.2013)
Opening reception 30.5.2013 at 6pm

Covering One's Back, photography exhibition, talks and portfolio reviews, co-curated with Maha Maamoun. Artists: Atfal Ahdath, Yasser Alwan, Goerge Awde, Goran Galic & Gian-Reto Gredig, Raphael Hefti, Hassan Khan, Taiyo Onorato & Nico Krebs, Heini Stucki. Reviewers: Yasser Alwan, George Awde, Helene Joye-Cagnard, David Degner, Randa Shaath. Organized by Pro Helvetia Cairo at Gezira Art Center, Cairo, (7 - 23.5.2013)

Experiment is a simulation on settings, poem presented in the wrap up session of Think:Film, Third International Experimental Media Congress, Akademie der Kunst, Berlin. Organized by Arsenal and the Film Institute of the Berlin University of the Arts, 10 - 14.10.2012.

Too Early Too Late (Trop tôt, trop tard // Zu früh, zu spät), by Danièle Huillet and Jean-Marie Straub, France/Egypt 1980. At Arsenal Cinema, hosted by Ala Younis and Tobias Hering, in the framework of the "Living Archive" project. (1.7.2012 @ 4pm)

Arab Shorts programs at Arsenal Cinema 2,3,4.7.2012 more info

Museum of Manufactured Response to Absence, curated nomadic museum collection project. Produced by MinRASY Projects. Collection includes works by: Kamel Abu Yahya, Mohamed Abusal, May Batt, Pieke Bergmans, Bilal Chrif, Cevdet Erek, Bruno Fantoni, Mohssin Harraki, Ziad Hilal, Raed Ibrahim, Hakim Jamain, Rebecca Joselyn, Katharine Morling, Paul Rioblotti, Amin Tbakhi, George Vlosich, Khadijeh Yosef and Nabeel Younis. Premiere at the Museum of Modern Art, Kuwait. (22.5 - 12.7.2012)

The Crowd Behind Us exhibition and video program curated for Image Festival 2, organized by Insitut Français, Amman. Artists: Jonathas de Andrade, Vartan Avakian, Neil Beloufa, Mohammadreza Farzad, Ahmad Ghossein, Maha Maamoun, Firas Taybeh, Charlotte Moth, Marie Voignier, as well as photographs from the collection of the Arab Image Foundation. (11 - 25.3.2012)

A Manual for Revolutionary and Post-Revolutionary Times, text for ArtAsiaPacific, The Point, March/April 2012

Momentarily Learning from Mega-Events exhibition project curated for Makan, Amman. Artists: Banu Cennetoglu, Mohssin Harraki, Maha Maamoun, Evariste Richer, and General Idea. (4.12.2011 - 4.1.2012)

Metro in Gaza, exhibition by Mohamad Abusal, French Culutral Center, Gaza. (12.12.2011 - 12.1.2012)

On Eric Rohmer's "Nadja in Paris" (1964), for Reflecting on Residencies, ArteEast Quarterly, guest edited by Aaron Cezar, 1.1.2012. (PDF 45k)

Everything is alright, Officer! film program curated for Independent Arab Film - Arab Shorts 3, Goethe Institut, Cairo (29.10.2011).
Filmmakers: Maher Abi Samra, Neil Beloufa, Mohssin Harraki, Mohammed Hawajri, Kasem Kharsa, Maha Maamoun, Rabih Mroue, and Firas Taybeh.

Outre mesure et programmes radio (Maps, timelines, radio programmes) , exhibition curated for La Galerie, Noisy Le Sec, Paris (28.5 - 23.7.2011)
Artists: Tarek Atoui, Cevdet Erek, Mohssin Harraki, Maha Maamoun, Ossama Mohammed, Otobong Nkanga, and Hassan Soliman.

Dessin flèche vers la droite, group exhibition of student work, L’École supérieure des beaux-arts de Tours (13.5 - 20.5.2011). Artists: Slim Cheltout, Aude Coulaud, Perrine Delorme-Rivory, Laurent Galy, Manon Quétard, Marine Cerf Cinq, Aude Jacquet, Carole Juingne, Adrien Piard, and Flore Warck.

Out of Place, exhibition co-curated with Kasia Redzisz, in dialogue with Tanya Barson, for the Tate Modern and Darat al Funun collaboration project. At the Level 2 Gallery at Tate Modern, London (10.2 - 17.4.2011), and at Darat al Funun, Amman (7.6 - 29.9.2011) Artists: Cevdet Erek, Ion Grigorescu, Hrair Sarkissian, and Ahlam Shibli.

To Know the Arab Terrain: movements to, from and within, curated film program for the Independent Arab Film - Arab Shorts 2, Goethe Institut, Cairo (4.12.2010), and also screened at transmediale 11, Berlin (3.2.2011).
Filmmakers: Adel Abidin, Jananne Al Ani, Ziad Antar, Mohssin Harraki, Fadma Kaddouri, Ossama Mohammed, Wael Shawky, and Mufid Younis.

My Beloved Homeland, Jordanian film program curated for Independent Arab Film - Arab Shorts, Goethe Institut, Cairo, 2009
Filmmakers: Mohammad Alloh, Eyad Hamam, Abdallah Kawash, Sandra Madi, Firas Taybeh, and Oraib Toukan.

in progress

Tin Soldiers
Publication project. Text and image portraits of contemporary Middle Eastern soldiers, and the virtual and alternative spaces where they practice militarism. A research-based collaborative project attempts to redeem psychological, social, and interpretational military upbringing.

Plan for Greater Baghdad
Research project on international 'modern' architects invited to design utopian future Arab cities. starting with Baghdad in the 50s.

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