Sonntag, 29. Mai 2011

Arabic Graffiti Exhibit in Berlin

On weekends, I frequently try and catch up with all the arts, fun and leisure, Berlin has to offer. Last weekend, I spent at a Basket Ball game, watching Alba Berlin winning yet another Play-Off match. Nice.
This weekend, I thought I try some art for a change. Luckily, a friend emailed me a link to a great exhibit, which was about to end.
Located in the Hip Hop Stützpunkt (Hip Hop Headquarter) in Berlin Prenzlauer Berg, is the charming, very hidden, but totally amazing common ground gallery. And up until saturday, there was an exhibit with arabic graffiti and street art going on. The show was small and exclusive, but stunning non the less. Young artists from Maghreb, Jordan, Palestine, Libanon showed their work, including pretty recent stuff, reflecting on the Arab Revolution.


As the exhibit is now unfortunately over, you should seriously consider investing in the very pretty, lusciously illustrated book on the exhibit, published by From here to Fame publishing, a company attached to the common ground gallery. It is an english edition, containing loads of interesting texts and introductions on arabic calligraphy, reflections on the state of arab street art and essays on contamporary artists! It's a great read, as well as a beautiful coffee table book with many colourful and exciting photographs!
Next there will be an exhibit on calligraphy at the common ground gallery. So if you happen to be in Berlin, you should drop by and visit!

Dienstag, 24. Mai 2011

Support Manal AlSharif!

A couple of weeks ago, I found this article on Jadaliyya, an amazing online magazine on middle eastern affairs. It contained a manifesto which called women in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to stand up and drive their cars, starting june 17th. Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world where women are not permitted to drive.
The manifesto, the attached movement was founded by young Saudi Manal Alsharif. She posted a video on youtube, set up a Facebook page and started the campaign. The campaign's manifesto states that there is no evidence in the saudi constitution or the Qur'an that women shouldn't be permitted to drive. Lots of women in the kingdom cannot afford to pay a driver, and they are not allowed to ride on public transport.

„Great“, I thought! I'm all for driving, and even more so for the sisters in Saudi Arabia. Let's see what comes out of this!

Then, a few days ago, I read on al Jazeera, that Manal had been detained for launching the campaign. According to al Jazeera, she has been released shortly after, but on the campaign's Facebook page you can read that AlSharif is still in police custody.

To support Manal, please visit the Facebook page, share this article, sign the online petition! Just spread the word! It's just a travesty that a girl who simply wants to drive, with no intention of disrespecting anyone, has to be held in custody!