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Tag: exhibition

A Review of ‘Real Families’: The Fitzwilliam’s latest exhibition


In the house of my father, Donald RodneyThe Fitzwilliam museum, with permission for varsity

Art both reflects and influences the society we live in. It captures how people think, feel and live while simultaneously changing the way that we see the world and what we accept as the norm. And this is why the Fitzwilliam’s latest exhibition is so relevant in its questioning of what makes a ‘real family’.

‘Real families: stories of change’, showing at the Fitzwilliam museum until the 7th January, delicately and beautifully explores the complexities of the modern family through the medium of visual art. Curated by Susan Golombok, a psychologist from Cambridge University’s Centre for Family Research, this exhibition presents families past and present of all shapes and sizes, as well as the love and tension within them. Every visitor will find something that resonates with their own lived experience, while also being exposed to the unfamiliar. These fascinating artworks ultimately piece together to form a celebration of diversity and an uncompromising declaration that there isn’t, and there never has been, any such thing as a ‘normal’ family.

“There isn’t, and there never has been, any such thing as a ‘normal’ family”

That’s not to say that things haven’t changed. The exhibition begins by visualising the transformation of the family in the last 50 years. A 1978 newspaper clipping with the rather aggressive headline ‘BAN THESE BABIES’ describes the public outcry at the use of artificial insemination amongst lesbian couples, labelled as “unnatural and immoral”. But the following room paints a new and different picture, one in which so-called alternative family styles are shown unapologetically at ease: transgender fathers, single parents by choice embracing their babies conceived via assisted reproduction, a lesbian couple nestled on a sofa watching TV with their kids.

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by Imelda D. Garrett
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Latifa bint Mohammed inaugurates the ‘Time and Identity’ exhibition, a celebration of Emirati artistic talent – Arts & culture

Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) and member of the Dubai Council, inaugurated the ‘Time and Identity’ exhibition, which showcases the works of 22 established and emerging Emirati artists from various generations.

The exhibition, which delves into the themes of time, memory and identity, runs until 15 September at the Al Safa Art and Design Library. Fostering a space for learning and exchanging experiences among the artists, the exhibition aligns with Dubai’s vision for building a sustainable cultural and creative sector and consolidating its position as a global centre for culture, an incubator for creativity and a thriving hub for talent.

HH Sheikha Latifa said that the ‘Time and Identity’ exhibition provides a forum for Emirati artists to express their rich and varied artistic perspectives in addition to serving as a bridge between established and emerging artists. The event, which marks a milestone in the growth of Dubai’s creative ecosystem, has been designed to both raise the profile of artists and enrich the local artistic landscape, she noted.

“The exhibition not only showcases artistic excellence and human creativity but also provides a channel for Emirati artists at various stages of their journey to engage in constructive dialogue, exchange ideas and explore creative themes. The event supports Dubai’s overarching vision for a sustainable and vibrant cultural and creative sector,” Her Highness added. 

HH Sheikha Latifa toured the exhibition, meeting with the artists who conveyed their positive outlook for the art sector in Dubai. They attributed the bright prospects of the sector to the steadfast support of Her Highness and the UAE’s leadership, who have been committed to invest in the growth of the sector, empower artists and provide them with the resources

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Pakistani Gitmo prisoner finds release in art
pakistani prisoner ahmed rabbani

When Ahmed Rabbani ran out of paint to satisfy his artistic yearnings during 20 years of incarceration at Guantanamo Bay, he turned to whatever came to hand – dirt, coffee grinds and even spices such as turmeric from the prison canteen.

“Through painting, I would feel myself outside Guantanamo,” the 53-year-old Pakistani said this week at an exhibition of his work in Karachi.

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“While Ghul went back to his terrorist ways and was killed in a drone strike in 2012, Ahmed got a one-way trip to Guantanamo Bay.”

Born in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, where his parents worked, Rabbani moved back to Karachi as a teen and was a taxi driver at the time of his detention.pakistani prisoner ahmed <a href=rabbani” width=”1000″ height=”630″ srcset=”https://arynews.tv/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/painter-5.jpg 1000w, https://arynews.tv/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/painter-5-300×189.jpg 300w, https://arynews.tv/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/painter-5-768×484.jpg 768w, https://arynews.tv/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/painter-5-150×95.jpg 150w, https://arynews.tv/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/painter-5-600×378.jpg 600w, https://arynews.tv/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/painter-5-696×438.jpg 696w, https://arynews.tv/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/painter-5-667×420.jpg 667w” sizes=”(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px”/Fluent in Arabic, he specialised in guiding visitors from the Middle East – a factor which contributed to him being misidentified.

While imprisoned in Guantanamo Bay, painting became an obsession for Rabbani, although years spent on hunger strike meant he was often too frail to even hold a brush.

If he ran out of materials, he would improvise.

“I would find and turn a piece of discarded or torn clothes into canvas,” he said.

“Sometimes I drew from coffee, sometimes from turmeric.”

In ‘The Unforgotten Moon: Liberating Art from Guantanamo Bay’, around two dozen pieces Rabbani was allowed to take from prison are on display – alongside works by local artists who have ‘re-imagined’ paintings that were confiscated.

“He is someone who has lost so much of his life, so to produce the images of this quality is a miracle… it’s remarkable,” said Natasha Malik, curator and organiser of the exhibition.

“Displayed alongside Ahmed’s

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Empowering Women Through Art: Inside the “Ways of Seeing” Exhibition at Museum 54

The Museum 54 in Tribeca, New York City hosted a 3-day pop-up exhibition titled “Ways of Seeing,” which explored female identity from a subjective viewpoint. Throughout history, artists of various mediums have portrayed women as objects existing only in the spiritual or ideal realm. The exhibition’s curator, Yahan Wang, and the team of Museum 54 sought to challenge this passive position and empower women by showcasing sculptures, paintings, drawings, photography, and video installation that reflected their positive and direct perspective.

According to Wang, they  have curated artworks from six female artists, each with their unique style of expressing the female identity and body using various mediums. The goal is to present women through a lens that is entirely their own, rather than through the eyes of observers.

Drawing from her experience working in Artnet and the art industry, Wang exemplifies the qualities of an outstanding curator by making informed decisions on the selection and presentation of artworks. Her aim is to effectively communicate the narrative behind each piece, while also making the exhibition accessible to audiences with varying levels of art knowledge. Ultimately, Wang was delighted with the exhibition’s outcome, as it surpassed her expectations in terms of visitor numbers and also because of the connections she formed with both the artists and visitors.

Wang expresses that while some individuals may spend their entire lives searching for their passion, she considers herself fortunate to have discovered hers at an early age. She feels deeply passionate about her role as a curator and helping artists, stating, “I am dedicated to my work and committed to supporting and promoting artists.”

Wang explains that a crucial aspect of her job involves coordinating with clients, a skill that is comparable to how she communicates and collaborates with artists as a curator. She

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Allentown Art Museum’s new exhibit highlights 1960’s fashion | Lehigh Valley Regional News

ALLENTOWN, Pa. – The Allentown Art Museum’s “Fashion as Experiment: The 60’s” is a trip back in time to an era that transformed what was happening in American culture into wearable ideologies.

“Young people, protesting against racism and sexism in their society, young people who enjoy the ecological movement, and more. Generally, this desire for greater freedom and authenticity and daily life,” said Claire McRee, the museum’s Assistant Curator.

The exhibit is broken into two components. The first focuses on disruptive youth styles with bold colors, oh-so-high hemlines, hot pants, and the pop art influence of Warhol’s Campbell soup cans.

But it didn’t limit itself to the ladies.

“We also see the influence of what’s called the peacock revolution on menswear. By the mid to late 60s young men in particular were beginning to experiment with clothing that was in styles conventionally considered to be feminine in western fashion,” said MRee.

These disruptive styles lay the groundwork for the items in the second part of the exhibition, the hippie movement, the idea of clothing being a means of protest and how it could connect us with our heritage.

“With garments like the dashiki, which is something adopted by many young African Americans in this era, along with natural hair as a way of celebrating heritage and celebrating difference,” said McRee.

As part of the exhibition, the Allentown Art Museum is asking the community to share pictures of their families and their fashion from the 60’s to show how these trends and political movements were interpreted in the Lehigh Valley.

The exhibition runs through Sept. 24. Admission is free.

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Fashion designer Diane Von Furstenberg celebrated in Brussels museum exhibition

Diane Von Furstenberg is a US fashion icon. But she never forgot her Belgian roots – as evidenced by a return to Brussels, the city of her birth, to celebrate a half-century of her glamorous career.

“I really lived an American dream as a young European and it was fascinating,” the 76-year-old said in an interview, as the Belgian capital puts on an exhibition of her work.

The show, at Brussels’ Fashion and Lace Museum, is the first exhibition in Europe dedicated to the Belgian-American designer, organisers said.

Naturally, pride of place goes to Von Furstenberg’s signature wrap dress, which made her famous as soon as it went on sale in 1973, three years after she made New York her home.

Sought after for its simplicity and practicality, the soft jersey wrap dress has been made in several dozen iterations in bright colours, making it an enduring feature in celebrity wardrobes.

“It makes a woman confident. And if you are confident, you are beautiful,” Von Furstenberg said with a wide smile.

Read more: Diane Von Furstenberg on her secret to success: ‘Own your vulnerabilities’

“The jersey: very practical. Doesn’t crinkle. You put in a print that moves and moves with your body. That all of a sudden makes beautiful curves in your body. The shape: very simple.”

At age 25, Von Furstenberg was making 25,000 dresses a week to keep up with demand.

Her star never dimmed, enabling her to go into philanthropy and support her view of herself as “a big feminist”.

That’s a theme informing the Brussels exhibition, which is titled Woman Before Fashion.

“What is most important to me is to use my voice, my experience, my knowledge, my resources, my connections in order to help other women to be the women they want to

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