Opening on 16 July, Here and Elsewhere is the first museum-wide exhibition in New York City to feature contemporary art from and about the Arab world.
Prepared by the New Museum, the exhibition will bring together 45 artists representing various generations and art schools from over 12 countries -- including Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, UAE, Morocco, Palestine and Saudi Arabia -- many of whom live and work beyond their national borders.
Among the Egyptian artists who will display their works are: Anna Boghiguian (b. 1946 Cairo, Egypt; lives internationally), Susan Hefuna (b. 1962 Cairo, Egypt; lives in Cairo, Düsseldorf, and New York), Amal Kenawy (b. 1974 Cairo, Egypt; d. 2012 Cairo) and Wael Shawky (b. 1971 Alexandria, Egypt; lives in Alexandria).
"Combining pivotal and under-recognised figures with younger and midcareer artists, 'Here and Elsewhere' works against the notion of the Arabic-speaking world as a homogenous or cohesive entity. Through the original and individualised practices of a multigenerational constellation of artists, the exhibition highlights works that often have conceptual or aesthetic references to the Arab world, yet extend well beyond," we read in the museum's press release.
The exhibition borrows its title from a 1976 film-essay by French directors Jean-Luc Godard, Jean-Pierre Gorin, and Anne-Marie Miéville.
"Their film, Ici et ailleurs [Here and Elsewhere], was initially conceived as a pro-Palestinian documentary, but evolved into a complex reflection on the ethics of representation and the status of images as instruments of political consciousness."
The New Museum is the only museum in New York City exclusively devoted to contemporary art. Founded in 1977, the New Museum is a centre for exhibitions, information, and documentation about living artists from around the world.