FOLIO by Alserkal

In the context of shifting definitions surrounding the role that the artist plays in nation building and place-making, Stephen Hobbs (Director of Johannesburg’s The Trinity Session) and Laila Binbrek (Coordinating Director of the National Pavilion UAE la Biennale di Venezia) unpack insights that reflect on current trends and possible futures.

Moderated by Kevin Jones.

Laila Binbrek

Laila Binbrek is the Coordinating Director of the National Pavilion UAE, which presents the United Arab Emirates’ annual exhibition at the Venice Biennale. She has worked to set the pavilion’s ongoing strategy and vision in collaboration with its commissioner, the Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation, and manages its operations and team. Additionally, she oversees the development of the Venice Internship, a training program that to date has sent around 200 interns to Venice as ambassadors for the UAE and its rich culture. Laila has significant experience within the region’s cultural industry. Before joining the National Pavilion UAE, she spent 6 years at The Third Line, one of Dubai’s leading contemporary art galleries, where as gallery director she worked to develop a platform for MENASA artists from across the region. Prior to that, Laila managed the Art Centre at the Dubai Community Theatre & Arts Centre (DUCTAC), with the goal of promoting community engagement within the local community of the UAE.

Stephen Hobbs

Since 1994, Johannesburg has served as a critical reference point for Stephen Hobbs’ artistic and curatorial insights into the apartheid city turned African city - with a particular interest in the impact of defensive urban planning and architecture on the behavioural aspects of city and society. The resultant urban decay that develops in such conditions evolved Hobbs' practice into consultative processes on the role of art in public space relative to urban renewal and place making initiatives commissioned by the city. Hobbs’ near 10 year relationship with David Krut Projects has broadened his artistic repertoire through print making, book making and publishing. In addition David Krut Projects New York has produced a variety of Hobbs’ talks, presentations and workshops in numerous Universities and Institutions through-out the USA. Stephen Hobbs was the curator of the Market Theatre Galleries (Johannesburg) from 1994 to 2000, Co-Director of the purpose-built Gallery Premises (2004-2008) at the Joburg Theatre. Since 2001, he has co-directed the artist collaborative and public art consultancy – The Trinity Session. And since 2004 has co-produced a range of multi-medium urban and network-focused projects with Marcus Neustetter, under the collaborative name Hobbs/Neustetter. In 2017, Hobbs joined the Graduate School of Architecture at the University of Johannesburg, as Unit Leader and resident critic.

In the context of shifting definitions surrounding the role that the artist plays in nation building and place-making, Stephen Hobbs (Director of Johannesburg’s The Trinity Session) and Laila Binbrek (Coordinating Director of the National Pavilion UAE la Biennale di Venezia) unpack insights that reflect on current trends and possible futures. Moderated by Kevin Jones. **Laila Binbrek** Laila Binbrek is the Coordinating Director of the National Pavilion UAE, which presents the United Arab Emirates’ annual exhibition at the Venice Biennale. She has worked to set the pavilion’s ongoing strategy and vision in collaboration with its commissioner, the Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation, and manages its operations and team. Additionally, she oversees the development of the Venice Internship, a training program that to date has sent around 200 interns to Venice as ambassadors for the UAE and its rich culture. Laila has significant experience within the region’s cultural industry. Before joining the National Pavilion UAE, she spent 6 years at The Third Line, one of Dubai’s leading contemporary art galleries, where as gallery director she worked to develop a platform for MENASA artists from across the region. Prior to that, Laila managed the Art Centre at the Dubai Community Theatre & Arts Centre (DUCTAC), with the goal of promoting community engagement within the local community of the UAE. **Stephen Hobbs** Since 1994, Johannesburg has served as a critical reference point for Stephen Hobbs’ artistic and curatorial insights into the apartheid city turned African city - with a particular interest in the impact of defensive urban planning and architecture on the behavioural aspects of city and society. The resultant urban decay that develops in such conditions evolved Hobbs' practice into consultative processes on the role of art in public space relative to urban renewal and place making initiatives commissioned by the city. Hobbs’ near 10 year relationship with David Krut Projects has broadened his artistic repertoire through print making, book making and publishing. In addition David Krut Projects New York has produced a variety of Hobbs’ talks, presentations and workshops in numerous Universities and Institutions through-out the USA. Stephen Hobbs was the curator of the Market Theatre Galleries (Johannesburg) from 1994 to 2000, Co-Director of the purpose-built Gallery Premises (2004-2008) at the Joburg Theatre. Since 2001, he has co-directed the artist collaborative and public art consultancy – The Trinity Session. And since 2004 has co-produced a range of multi-medium urban and network-focused projects with Marcus Neustetter, under the collaborative name Hobbs/Neustetter. In 2017, Hobbs joined the Graduate School of Architecture at the University of Johannesburg, as Unit Leader and resident critic.

On this episode of the FOLIO podcast, we investigate the obsessive need to soothsay.

Since late July, Alserkal Avenue has been hosting its summer programme under the theme Foretold Now. Curated by arts writer Kevin Jones, who describes himself as someone who is obsessed with studying the human desire to speculate, Foretold Now comprises talks, reading groups, and performances that explore the insatiable human appetite for the future — and people’s attempts to predict it. On this episode of the FOLIO podcast, we investigate the obsessive need to soothsay.

Ramadan Kareem.

Pause, reflect, and reconnect. As part of Alserkal’s annual thematic on Maintenance, Ramadan at Alserkal Avenue encourages us to shift our focus towards discourses around maintenance, urging us to reconsider our present moment. Throughout the month, our Ramadan programme invites you to Iftar and Suhoor experiences, art and self-care workshops, thought-provoking discussions, exhibition openings and guided tours, film screenings and more, reflecting the communal spirit of Ramadan.

In this episode of Conversations on the Avenue, we catch up with Butheina Kazim from Cinema Akil, Kenza and Patrick Jarjour from Inked, and Lola Boatwright from Gulf Photo Plus to hear about their Ramadan line-up. Our Alserkal Lates continue every Wednesday, and the galleries will open new shows during the 15 May edition of Alserkal Lates, when galleries will be open from 8-11PM.

You’re also welcome to discover our many family-friendly activities throughout Ramadan at Alserkal Avenue, including the children’s camps at Wisdom Warehouse, Board Game Nights at A4 Space, fashion pop-ups, night markets, and Majlis Storytelling in The Yard.

The full calendar of events is available here, and we have an ever-growing calendar of activities, events, and exhibitions running throughout the month, so keep checking in for updates.

Ramadan Kareem. Pause, reflect, and reconnect. As part of Alserkal’s annual thematic on Maintenance, Ramadan at Alserkal Avenue encourages us to shift our focus towards discourses around maintenance, urging us to reconsider our present moment. Throughout the month, our Ramadan programme invites you to Iftar and Suhoor experiences, art and self-care workshops, thought-provoking discussions, exhibition openings and guided tours, film screenings and more, reflecting the communal spirit of Ramadan. In this episode of Conversations on the Avenue, we catch up with Butheina Kazim from Cinema Akil, Kenza and Patrick Jarjour from Inked, and Lola Boatwright from Gulf Photo Plus to hear about their Ramadan line-up. 

Our Alserkal Lates continue every Wednesday, and the galleries will open new shows during the 15 May edition of Alserkal Lates, when galleries will be open from 8-11PM. You’re also welcome to discover our many family-friendly activities throughout Ramadan at Alserkal Avenue, including the children’s camps at Wisdom Warehouse, Board Game Nights at A4 Space, fashion pop-ups, night markets, and Majlis Storytelling in The Yard. The full calendar of events is available here, and we have an ever-growing calendar of activities, events, and exhibitions running throughout the month, so keep checking in for updates.

Fabric(ated) Fractures, a collaboration between Samdani Art Foundation and Alserkal at Concrete, Dubai, ran from 9-30 March 2019. The seminal exhibition featured works by 15 artists from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Thailand, and Pakistan, who were also part of the foundation’s Dhaka Art Summit initiative. In this two-part series of Conversations on the Avenue, we discover Fabric(ated) Fractures with its curator Diana Campbell Betancourt, and speak to exhibiting artists Reetu Sattar, Ayesha Jatoi, and Joydeb Roaja about some of the issues they explore through their poignant, powerful practices.

CreditsCover photo by Tara Atkinson. Hosted by Vinita Bharadwaj, produced by Chirag Desai.

Fabric(ated) Fractures, a collaboration between Samdani Art Foundation and Alserkal at Concrete, Dubai, ran from 9-30 March 2019. The seminal exhibition featured works by 15 artists from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Thailand, and Pakistan, who were also part of the foundation’s Dhaka Art Summit initiative. In this two-part series of Conversations on the Avenue, we discover Fabric(ated) Fractures with its curator Diana Campbell Betancourt, and speak to exhibiting artists Reetu Sattar, Ayesha Jatoi, and Joydeb Roaja about some of the issues they explore through their poignant, powerful practices. **Credits** Cover photo by Musthafa Aboobacker. Hosted by Vinita Bharadwaj, produced by Chirag Desai.

‘While We Wait’ is a stunning sculptural installation, constructed by quarried Palestinian stone in a tall, vertical structure of interlocking stone pieces. Crafted via a combination of ancient and cutting-edge technologies, the sculpture is destined to be installed permanently in the landscape that inspired it - the Cremisan Valley close to Bethlehem, Palestine. We talk to the designers and to curator, the V&A;’s Salma Tuqan, about the work and the fascinating story behind it. While We Wait was commissioned by the Victoria & Albert Museum, London. It was on show at Concrete in Alserkal Avenue from 5 November to 18 November.

‘While We Wait’ is a stunning sculptural installation, constructed by quarried Palestinian stone in a tall, vertical structure of interlocking stone pieces. Crafted via a combination of ancient and cutting-edge technologies, the sculpture is destined to be installed permanently in the landscape that inspired it - the Cremisan Valley close to Bethlehem, Palestine. We talk to the designers and to curator, the V&A’s Salma Tuqan, about the work and the fascinating story behind it.

While We Wait was commissioned by the Victoria & Albert Museum, London. It was on show at Concrete in Alserkal Avenue from 5 November to 18 November.