I AM
After premiering at the National Gallery of Fine Arts, Amman, Jordan and being exhibited at St Martin-in-the-Fields on Trafalgar Square in London, I AM began its US tour at the American University Museum at the Katzen Arts Center in Washington DC, opening on September 5 and running through October 22, 2017.
The exhibition was opened with a VIP reception on September 8, 2017 hosted by His Excellency Shaikh Abdulla Bin Rashid Al Khalifa, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the United States. Special guests present included the President of American University, Sylvia Mathews Burwell, and diplomats from all over the world, art patrons and governmental officials. Special speakers included Senior Vice President for the Middle East Institute, Kate Seelye, Mr. Jack Rasmussen, Director of the AU Museum, and participating I AM artists Alia Ali (Yemen) and Sh Marwa Al Khalifa (Bahrain).
An official reception for the public was held on September 9 from 6-9 pm, with over 1000 people viewing the exhibition.
READ the Opening Speech by artist Alia Alia (Yemen)
WATCH a Video of the Opening Speech by Alia Ali (Yemen)
READ the Opening Speech by Sheikha Marwa Al Khalifa (Bahrain)
American University Museum
Washington, D.C.
Opening at the American University Museum, Washington,D.C
ICARAVAN EVENTS in WASHINGTON, D.C. (around the I AM exhibition)
September 7, Thursday, 12.00 - 1.30 pm
At the Middle East Institute
An Untold Story: The Role of Women in Art & Peacebuilding in the Middle East
An artists' panel event was held in partnership with the Middle East Institute at their headquarters examining the critical role Middle Eastern women play in building more stable and tolerant communities through the lens of the arts.
The panel discussion comprised three I AM participating artists and the MEI's Director of Arts & Culture, and it was moderated by NPR's Neda Ulaby. The panelists drew upon their experiences to challenge common misconceptions about women in the region, and explore how the arts can serve as a form of creative and non-violent resistance.
Speakers:
Alia Ali (Yemen), Artist
Lulwa Al Khalifa (Bahrain), Artist
Lyne Sneige, Director, Middle East Institute Arts and Culture Program
Helen Zughaib (Lebanon-USA), Artist
Neda Ulaby (Moderator), Reporter, National Public Radio arts desk
