On January 17th, A Blade of Grass had the pleasure of hosting Eyal Danon (Director & Chief Curator of Israeli Center for Digital Art) and Reem Fadda (Associate Curator of Middle Eastern Art, Abu Dhabi Project, Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation) in a public discussion at The 8th Floor. Danon was in New York City through a Professional Development Grant from arts organization Artis.
View the videos from the discussion in this blog post!
Danon and Fadda worked together, as part of a larger group of Israeli, Palestinian and other international artists, on a project called Liminal Spaces which took place between 2006 and 2007. This group held a series of conferences and artistic actions that explored the difficult social and political pressures facing Israel and Palestine. The artists who came together considered how they could propose creative tools that would confront these issues and support social change. Liminal Spaces also contested the existing structures that often limit the possibilities for various social and cultural communications, using art as a unifying force for individuals to connect in subverting certain political and societal regulations.
Though Liminal Spaces culminated many years ago, the compelling relationships that formed during the project many years after its completion provided a distinctive context for discussing the diverse viewpoints and social actions surrounding a new situation, the Academic and Cultural Boycott Against Israel. Liminal Spaces informed the discussion of the Boycott by pointing out a contrast between opposing state-funded Israeli institutions and recognizing those who work to develop active partnerships that challenge social and cultural standards. Danon and Fadda’s rapport is an example of the powerful relationships that have sustained beyond the official duration of Liminal Spaces, continuing to examine the important issues in their field.
We’d like to thank Eyal Danon and Reem Fadda for sharing their ideas with the audience, and for engaging in an important and meaningful discussion. Check out the videos from this discussion below!
