‘Islam Contemporary’ art show coming to Pittsfield

PITTSFIELD – The city’s office of cultural development and the new Whitney Center for the Arts, at 42 Wendell Ave., are partnering for a new exhibit, “Islam Contemporary.”

The show features work from 25 artists from around the world, including Australia, Bahrain, Canada, France, Morocco, Pakistan and the United States.

The exhibit will open on Aug. 2 from 5-8 p.m. as part of Pittsfield’s First Friday Artswalk initiative. It will run through Aug. 31 at both the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts and the Whitney Center.

“I am very honored and excited to be able to create this groundbreaking and exciting project in The Berkshires,” Aziz Sohail, curator of “Islam Contemporary,” said. “Interest in Islam and Islamic cultures is at an all time high, and this exhibit provides a platform for authentic and diverse voices that grapple with an ever-changing heritage.

“We hope that the show dispels stereotypes and sparks discussion by facilitating a complex and nuanced look at Islamic heritage and culture.”

The international artists participating in the show include emerging Iranian-Canadian artist Raheleh Saneie, whose video piece Sound of Strings critiques and asserts her own gender and hybrid cultural identity, and the Bahrain-based artist collective, ‘Ulafa’a, which is a reconciliation building project aiming to create new connections within the Bahraini community through art and culture in a time of crisis by powerful and engaging works.

“There is a real need in the United States to have a greater understanding and broader experience of the many diverse contemporary communities and cultures where Islam can be found,” Pittsfield Director of Cultural Development Megan Whilden said. “I look forward to the opportunity for creative exploration and learning through the arts with ‘Islam Contemporary.'”

Other events

In addition to the art show, other events are scheduled to foster learning experiences in the community.

On Aug. 4 at 2 p.m., there will be a screening of the documentary The Other Half of Tomorrow, which profiles Pakistani women working to change their country, at the Whitney Center followed by a talkback with mother-daughter filmmaking duo Sadia Shepard and Samina Quraeshi. The screening will take place at the Beacon Cinema.

Posted by Catherine M. Krummey on July 18, 2013. Filed under Arts and Entertainment,Community Events,News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry