Top Picks for July
We know it’s already the middle of July, but we couldn’t skip recommending the following list of our favourite events happening this month. Minab's Highlights is a monthly selection of events from around the world, each with a unique Arab-oriented focus, either featuring Arab artists or centred around Arab art.
In this edition, we've curated a diverse range of cultural experiences that span from music festivals and art exhibitions to thought-provoking performances and literary events. These events not only showcase the rich cultural heritage of the Arab world but also celebrate its contemporary artistic expressions. Whether you’re looking for an engaging night of hip hop in Beirut, an exploration of Arab modernism in Paris, or a deep dive into the vibrant sounds of the SWANA region in Brooklyn, our selection has something special for everyone.
Here are Minab's top picks for July!
Bars for Thought Volume 14 – A Night of Hip Hop, Stories, and Rhymes
Photos from SaveTheChildren
Date: Tuesday, July 16, 2024
Location: Riwaq Beirut, Lebanon
If you’re in Beirut on July 16, 2024, you won't want to miss Bars for Thought Volume 14. Hosted by SaveTheChildren (STC), an audiovisual storyteller from Beirut now based in Brooklyn, this event is all about inclusivity and diverse voices.
Bars for Thought breaks away from the traditional concert format by emphasising inclusivity and embracing artists from various backgrounds, musicians, singers, spoken word artists, storytellers, and poets. It’s a night where Hip Hop meets literature, celebrating the cultural and social impact of the genre.
Held at Riwaq Beirut, this event is perfect for music and literature enthusiasts, especially those with a love for Hip Hop culture. The evening will showcase a mix of emerging talents and established performers, each bringing their unique perspective and style.
More information on Instagram
Oakenfest 2024 – Lebanon’s Alternative Music and Camping Festival
Photos from Oakenfest
Date: Tuesday, July 19 - July 21, 2024
Location: Lehfed, Mount-Lebanon, Lebanon
Mark your calendars for July 19-21, 2024, as Oakenfest returns to the scenic Lehfed in Mount-Lebanon for its 8th edition. This festival, which champions Lebanon’s alternative music scene, is back with a bang, featuring artists from Lebanon and Palestine across a spectrum of genres including electronic, Arab pop, Tarab, Shaabi, Dabke, Indie, Rock, and Shoegaze.
What to Expect
Oakenfest isn’t just about music; it’s a full-blown cultural experience. The festival promises a blend of performances from both emerging and established artists, and it’s all set in an eco-friendly, camping environment. From the electronic dream pop of Snakeskin to the traditional Arabic songs of Amal Kaawash, there’s something for every music lover.
Festival Origins and Mission:
Since its inception in 2013, Oakenfest has been more than just a music festival. It’s a platform for independent Arab artists, set against the beautiful backdrop of an oak forest in Lehfed. The festival aims to preserve cultural identity through music, foster eco-consciousness, and support local development. Despite taking a break during the pandemic and economic challenges, Oakenfest returned in 2023, stronger and more committed to its mission than ever.
Elsa Saadé, Managing Director and Curator, emphasises that the festival’s perseverance is a form of cultural resistance, providing a crucial platform for artists in these turbulent times. “The festival's perseverance acts as a form of cultural resistance, serving as a crucial platform for independent and alternative artists during turbulent times," she explains.
A Unique Festival Experience:
Oakenfest prides itself on being artist-centred and authentic. With a non-hierarchical approach to talent selection, every performer has an equal opportunity to shine. The lineup ensures a smooth flow of music that captivates attendees from start to finish.
The festival has built strong bonds with artists over the years, involving them in organising and curating the event to maintain its relevance and authenticity. Notable contributors include Anthony Sahyoun, Zeid Hamdan, and Fadi Tabbal.
Music for Palestine – An Evening Of Solidarity
Date: July 27, 2024
Location: La Cour de l'Avenir, Vevey, Switzerland
Poster from La Cour de l’Avenir
In a world where injustices persist and hearts are heavy, we need spaces to express our sorrow surrounded by the support of true allies. It is with this spirit that Music for Palestine was created, an evening where the music will be gentle, filled with love, but above all, melancholic. Each note will resonate with the fervent desire for justice, equality, and peace for the Palestinian people.
Performers:
Laure Betris
Melissa Kassab
Adham Zidan
3yooni
Cedric Blaser & Chadi Messmer
Shebli AlBau & Yassin Mahdi
All funds raised during this evening will be donated to the Sanad Initiative for Palestine.
More information on this event here.
À Corps Perdu at Beirut Art Days
Photos from no/mad Utopia Gallery
Date: Until July 17
Location: no/mad utopia gallery, Beirut, Lebanon
An evocative duo exhibition featuring works by Lebanese artists Sirine Germani and Shawki Youssef, curated by Marie Tomb at no/mad Utopia Gallery in Beirut. This event is part of Beirut Art Days, supported by the Dalloul Art Foundation.
Meet the Artist
Shawki Youssef: His art reflects conditions of Lebanese contemporary society, focusing on distorted human figures that symbolise vulnerability and fear. Shawki's work explores the effects of social trauma and theoretical discourse.
Sirine Germani: A Lebanese painter and researcher, Sirine explores cultural homogenization and the influence of Western hegemony in the global art market. Her work delves into the intricate dynamics between art, culture, and power.
Marie Tomb, an expert curator in Modern and Contemporary arts from the SWANA region, has curated this exhibition to underscore the cultural, emotional, and political significance of the human body.
“À Corps Perdu answers the uneasy experience of inhabiting our bodies and encountering others’ with an impetuous energy acting unconditionally. Sirine Germani and Shawki Youssef underscore a tension between abandonment and immersion in the world by becoming one with the landscape. They highlight the perpetual cultural, emotional, and political significance of the human body, by excavating its multiple layers of meaning, oscillating between loss and intense engagement, and its struggling to attain elusive peace.”
There’s only a few days left, it truly is a must see!
Festival d'Avignon 2024 – A Celebration of Contemporary Performing Arts
Dates: June 29 - July 21, 2024
Location: Avignon, France
The Festival d'Avignon, one of the most significant contemporary performing arts events in the world, is back for its 78th edition. From June 29 to July 21, 2024, the historic city of Avignon will transform into a vibrant open-air stage, welcoming tens of thousands of theatre lovers from all over the globe.
Highlights of the 2024 Edition:
The festival will feature a diverse lineup of shows, readings, exhibitions, films, and debates, offering a comprehensive insight into the world of invited artists and intellectuals.
Notable performances include Angélica Liddell’s homage to Ingmar Bergman in the Cour d'honneur, and a variety of productions that blend dramatic poetry with the architectural beauty of Avignon.
The festival is known for its inclusivity, blending popular audiences with cutting-edge international creations, and providing a forum for festival-goers to engage in lively discussions about the performances.
This year, the festival includes performances and discussions that highlight Palestinian culture. Notable among these is the event titled "Scènes et voix de Palestine" on July 13, which will feature performances and discussions aimed at fostering understanding and solidarity with the Palestinian cause.
The Festival d'Avignon is not just about watching performances, it’s about experiencing the unique cultural atmosphere that turns Avignon into a city-theatre.
For detailed program information and to plan your visit, check out the official Festival d'Avignon website
Intimate Garden Scene (in Beirut) at Sursock Museum
Photo by Christopher Baaklini
Date: Until November 15, 2024
Location: Sursock Museum
"Intimate Garden Scene (in Beirut)" revisits forms of critical artmaking in Lebanon from the 1990s onward. The exhibition's title references Ashkal Alwan's inaugural project at Sanayeh Garden, Beirut (1995). Drawing on lived experiences and acts of writing a subjective history, it prompts us to consider what it means to address Lebanon's recent woes from the perspective of everyday life.
This exhibition is organised by Ashkal Alwan as part of the first chapter of Home Works 9: A Forum on Cultural Practices.
Although "Intimate Garden Scene (in Beirut)" was inaugurated in November 2023, it's never too late to highlight an exhibition that offers such a profound exploration of Lebanon's artistic and cultural landscape. This exhibit continues to be relevant, engaging, and thought-provoking, making it essential for both art enthusiasts and anyone interested in understanding Lebanon's recent history through the lens of contemporary art.
More information on this exhibition here.
Habibi Festival at BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn!
Posters from Habibi Festival
Dates: July 20, 2024
Location: Lena Horne Bandshell, Brooklyn, New York
Get ready for a musical odyssey as the Habibi Festival returns for a special event bringing the vibrant sounds of the South West Asia North Africa (SWANA) region to Brooklyn. Curated by Alex Knowlton, Yacine Boulares, and Meera Dugal, this festival aims to showcase both contemporary and traditional rhythms from cities spanning Marrakech to Baghdad.
Headliner:
Bab L’Bluz: A Franco-Moroccan psychedelic rock group known for captivating audiences with their unique sound.
Special Performances:
Yacine Boulares Ensemble: Featuring guests from NYC’s SWANA diaspora, including:
Omar Offendum
Mona Miari
Felukah
Zafer Tawil
DJ Set by the Yalla! Party Project
The Habibi Festival aims to present music from the SWANA region as living, evolving art forms. The festival is a collaboration between Alex Knowlton (Director of Joe’s Pub at the Public Theater), artist/composer/curator Yacine Boulares, and curator/producer Meera Dugal. Their goal is to create joyful spaces for performance, conversation, and storytelling from this culturally rich part of the world.
Shaden's New One-Hour Special "خواطر" in Paris
Poster from Shaden
Date: July 23, 2024
Location: Apollo Theatre, Paris
The wait is finally over, Paris! Lebanese comedian, actress, and rebel Shaden is back with her new one-hour special "خواطر" (Khawater) in Arabic for the first time in Paris. Known for addressing controversial issues for social change, Shaden’s performances are both thought-provoking and entertaining.
Shaden is the Middle East’s first openly queer comedian, tackling subjects like female sexuality, homosexuality, racism, religion, and mental health in her shows. She has previously performed her second special “Lakad Intaka el Wade3” in Beirut and across Europe and the UK with awk.word comedy, selling out over 120 shows in 2022. Her first special, SHIAA SEEDS, was critically acclaimed and performed to over 10,000 audience members since 2018.
Modern Art and Decolonization: Paris 1908 – 1988 at Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris
Poster from MAM
Dates: On view until November 15, 2024
Location: Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris, Paris, France
The Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris invites visitors to rediscover the diversity of 20th-century Arab modernism and to take a fresh look at the art scenes that remain little known in Europe. The exhibition, "Modern Art and Decolonization: Paris 1908 – 1988," features over 200 works, most of which have never before been exhibited in France. It focuses on the relationship between Arab artists and Paris throughout the 20th century.
Exhibition Overview:
Historical Context: The exhibition starts in 1908, with the arrival of Lebanese poet and artist Gibran Khalil Gibran in Paris and the opening of the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Cairo. It concludes in 1988 with the first exhibition devoted to contemporary Arab artists at the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris.
Curatorial Insight: Art historian Silvia Naef contributes to the exhibition catalogue, exploring how modern Arab art broke away from academic traditions and Western influences, developing a unique aesthetic project that resonated with national identities.
Artists Featured: The exhibition highlights over 130 rarely shown artists whose works significantly contributed to the Arab avant-garde and modern art history in the 20th century.
Exhibition Sections:
Nahda: Between Arab Cultural Renaissance and Western Influence (1908–1937): This section explores the Arab cultural renaissance and its interaction with Western influences, particularly through art schools and major exhibitions in Paris.
Farewell to Orientalism: The Avant-Garde Strikes Back (1937–1956): This period covers the burgeoning independence movements in Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, and Syria, highlighting the shift towards local artistic expressions and connections with the European avant-garde.
Decolonization: Modern Art Between Local and Global (1956–1967): Focuses on the second wave of independence in North Africa and the global recognition of modern Arab art through exhibitions in Paris.
Art and Political Struggle: From the Palestinian Cause to the "Arab Apocalypse" (1967–1988): This section delves into the political themes dominating the art world, including anti-imperialist struggles and the impact of Arab immigration to France.
While the exhibition has been praised for its extensive and unprecedented display, some critiques revolve around the title and thematic framing. The term "decolonisation" has sparked discussions on whether the exhibition fully addresses the complexities of decolonial thought and practice. While the exhibition highlights anti-colonial networks and the contributions of Arab artists, it may not delve deeply enough into the political and social struggles intertwined with the artistic movements
We hope our selection of July events has inspired you to explore the rich and diverse world of Arab art and culture. From art exhibitions and performances to music festivals, these events highlight the talents and stories of Arab artists around the globe.
If you know of any events we missed or have suggestions for future features, we'd love to hear from you. Contact us, and we may include your recommendations in our next edition!
