On Naji al-Ali March 8 - May 3, 2008 opening reception Saturday, March 8 from 6 - 10pm
WPBGA Second Saturday Gallery Walk March 8, 6-10pm
Panel Discussions March 8, 7pm March 22, 7pm April 12, 7pm May 3, 7pm
Chicago, IL- Twenty years after the assassination of Palestinian cartoonist Naji al-Ali, the issues he sought to reveal continue to rage unchecked by the lack of a fair and peaceful agreement between the Israeli and Palestinian people. Curator Haseeb Ahmed and Around the Coyote Gallery present On Naji al-Ali, a major exhibition of politically oriented Palestinian artwork from some of the most influential contemporary artists from the Middle East. A selection of al-Ali's works from their original publications spanning two decades of bloody conflict between Israel and Palestine will be presented along with the contemporary work of New York/Ramallah based artist Emily Jacir and United Arab Emirates based artist Tarek al-Ghoussein.
Naji al-Ali's depiction of the young character Hanzala has become an iconic symbol of resistance to the Palestinian people and all victims of the conflict. Hanzala speaks to al-Ali's audience through his innocent view of the increasingly violent world that al-Ali illustrates. Often delineated with his back to the audience, Hanzala witnesses atrocious events that Palestinian children have learned to accept with enduring normality. In an era when few speak out in the face of gross injustice, Naji al-Ali's work is a relentless critique of Israel's involvement in the demise of the Palestinian people.
Since his death, al-Ali's work has been proliferated in a vast selection of books, magazines, newspapers, and websites along with numerous articles eulogizing his life. This exhibit uniquely presents Naji al-Ali's work in combination with selected works from contemporary artists Emily Jacir and photographer Tarek al-Ghoussein along with historical mapping of the conflict to uncover the unique responses artists have given over the years to the catastrophic events experienced throughout the Israeli and Palestinian conflict.
Throughout the exhibition, Around the Coyote Gallery will host numerous panel discussions and a film screening in order to further explore the most contemporary perspectives on the Israeli and Palestinian conflict. In collaboration with Platypus, a Chicago based Marxist reading group, the gallery will host a panel discussion on March 8th designed to examine the political implications of the exhibition. Raja Halwani, professor of philosophy at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and Richard Rubin co-founder of Platypus combine forces to investigate the juxtaposition of idealism and reality upon the underlying prospect of the 'one state solution'. Exhibition curator Haseeb Ahmed, a Chicago-based artist, curator and student of the Architecture and Visual and Critical Studies programs at the School of the Art Institute, discusses the legacy of Naji al-Ali on March 22nd. A film screening sponsored by the Chicago Palestinian Film Festival will be held on April 12th. And a panel discussion regarding the future of Palestine with Atiya Khan, Ph.D candidate at the University of Chicago and Tomis Kapitan, professor at Northern Illinois University and the co-author of "Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Philosophical Essays on Self-Determination, Terrorism, and the One State Solution" will be held on May 3rd. All special events start at 7pm at the Around the Coyote Gallery, 1935-1/2 W. North Avenue in Wicker Park.
Naji al-Ali was born in the northern Palestinian village of al-Shajara in what is currently Israel; he was raised in Ain el-Hilweh, a refugee camp in southern Lebanon. In 1961 Naji al-Ali published his first newspaper and worked as a cartoonist for several prominent newspapers including Al-Safir and Al-Siyasa. In 1979, Naji al-Ali was elected president of the League of Arab Cartoonists and concurrently received the leading prize in the Arab Cartoonists exhibition held in Damascus, then again in 1980. The International Federation of Newspaper Publishers awarded him the "Golden Pen of Freedom" posthumously in 1988. Al-Ali spent most of his life exiled in Beruit and Kuwait. He died in London on August 29, 1987 from complications relating to a gunshot wound to the face.
Tarek al-Ghoussein was born in Kuwait of Palestinian origin; he lives and works in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. He received his BFA from New York University and his MA with an emphasis in photography from the University of New Mexico. His work has been exhibited at Roy Miles Gallery, London; Aperture Gallery, New York; MMCA, Germany; La Boca Gallery, Madrid; and Randolph Street Gallery, New Zealand; among others.
Emily Jacir received her MFA from the Memphis College of Art; she lives and works in Ramallah and New York City. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally. She has had solo exhibitions at Alexander and Bonin, New York; Ulrich Museum of Art, Wichita, KS; Debs & Co., New York City; Anthony Reynold Gallery, London; among others. She was included in the 2004 Whitney Biennial and the Greater New York show at P.S.1.
Panel Discussions at the Around the Coyote Gallery
> One State: a Conversation with Raja Halwani and Richard Rubin, March 8, 7pm > Art and Resistance: The legacy of Naji al-Ali and Contemporary Palestinian Art, March 22, 7pm > Film Screening curated by the Chicago Palestinian Film Festival, April 12, 7pm > Determining Palestine: The national question with Atiya Khan and Tomis Kapitan, May 3, 7pm
Additional Upcoming Events
WPBGA 2nd Saturday Gallery Walk March 8 from 6-10pm. www.wpbga.com for more information.
Around the Coyote SELECT exhibition March 7-9 where over 50 of Around the Coyote's most promising artists will be exhibiting their work throughout the Flatiron Arts Building (1579 N. Milwaukee Avenue) along with lectures and readings from some of Chicago's best new playwrights. $5 suggested donation. March 7 from 6-10pm; March 8 from noon to 9pm; March 9 from noon to 6pm. www.aroundthecoyote.org for more information.
Around the Coyote at The Artist Project (April 24-28). In conjunction with The Artist Project, Around the Coyote will be presenting a Video Lounge curated by LiveBox featuring some of the best and brightest upcoming filmmakers from Chicago and around the world. A selection of some of Chicago's best new visual artists will also be on display at the Around the Coyote booth at The Artist Project (for more information visit www.aroundthecoyote.org or www.theartistproject.com).
Around the Coyote Artist Studio Tour at Artropolis (April 26 from 8:30am to 11am). 3-4 of Chicago's hottest new artists will be highlighted on a personal tour, led by Around the Coyote Executive Director Allison Stites, and offered as part of the VIP program at Artropolis. Tour is free and includes breakfast and trolley service. For more information call 773-342-6777.
Around the Coyote 2008 Spring Festival At Looptopia
Visual Art at the Around the Coyote Riverwalk Gallery Located on the riverfront at Wacker and Wabash Friday, May 2: 5pm to midnight Saturday, May 3: 11am to 10pm Sunday, May 4: 11am to 6pm
Performance and Open Studios at the Fine Arts Building 410 S. Michigan Ave Friday, May 2: 5pm to 3:30am
Around the Coyote is pleased to announce our partnership with Looptopia for our Spring Arts Festival. The 2nd annual Looptopia will turn downtown Chicago into a sensory playground celebrating arts, culture, architecture and insomniacs alike. Inspired by White Night events in cities like Rome, Paris and Madrid, Looptopia will feature musical and dance performances, theater acts, visual art and more as visitors partake in the all-night extravaganza. Our Spring Arts Festival will debut in conjunction with Looptopia on May 2nd at three major venues; the ATC Riverwalk Gallery, the historic Fine Arts Building and the Chicago Cultural Center and continue on throughout the weekend, May 3rd and 4th at one main venue, the Around the Coyote Riverwalk Gallery at the southeast corner of Wacker and Wabash on the riverfront.
Join us on the first weekend of May as thousands of art collectors, enthusiasts and visitors will converge on Chicago's loop as Around the Coyote joins forces with Looptopia! Each year, hundreds of painters, photographers, sculptors, actors, performance artists, poets, and filmmakers participate in our festivals for the opportunity to exhibit and sell their work to visitors from the United States and abroad. This year offers an exciting host of new visual art, theatre, readings, music, film, video and dance.
The Around the Coyote Riverwalk Gallery located at the southeast corner of Wacker and Wabash on the riverfront will showcase 80 artist booths with some of Chicagobs most promising new and emerging artistic talent focusing on painting, drawing, photography and sculpture. Our Special Guest Visual Arts Curator is Julie Rodrigues Widholm, a Pamela Alper Assosciate Curator at the Museim of Contemporary Art, Chicago. She will judge the bCuratorbs Choiceb awards, each selected artist will receive signed recognition for their achievement.
The Fine Arts Building is located at 410 S. Michigan Avenue and will feature performance, dance, music, literary readings, new play readings, film, video and open artist studios throughout the building.
The Chicago Cultural Center will host an animated video set, Digital Antidotes, curated by LiveBox from 9:45-10:45pm. The Cultural Center is located at 78 E. Washington.
ACCEPTED VISUAL ARTISTS Mario Alberico Matt Bergstrom Jeremi Bialowas Katie Blochowiak Jason Brammer Blazo Calovic Ginger Conroy Helena Engel Stacy Fink Carin Fishel Sue Fox Kim Frieders Virginia Garramone Brian Goldfarb Ryan Griffin Carrie Grunnet Laura Hagihara Kathy Halper Rebecca Hamlin Mike Hari Steve Hudson Lee Iturbe Damien James Doreen Johnson Gwynne Johnson Pamela Johnson Scott Johnson Jason Judd Kathleen King Barbara Krol Eileen Kroll Jiwon Lee Alyse Liebovich Erin Markley Ross Martens Jenny Matsui Kari Laine McCluskey Ian McLaughlin Nuria McNeal Gabriel Mejia Joseph Mills Weston Morris Jacqueline Moses Moira O'Neil Eric Neuschwanger Patricia Owsiany Gosia Podosek Brad Pogatetz Jennifer Ray Melissa Dorn Richards Ryan Roberts Jenn Ross Jessica Rudick Paul Seidler Gwendolyn Seibert Joseph Sikora Johannah Silva Marketa Sivek Aurelie Slonina Sarah Stec Kelly Stryker Shawn Stucky Liz Tuckwell Amanda Valdez Anthony Vizzari Alexander Vlasov Russ White Ania Wilczak Ken Wilson Aaron Wooten Michael Worley Amy Zavaleta Xiumej Zhang Syndy Ziegenfuss
PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
MUSIC FINE ARTS BLDG : PIANOFORTE SPACE 410 S MICHIGAN AVE : FRIDAY, May 2
5pm ... Rob Clearfield 5:30pm ... CUBE Ensemble 6:20pm ... Paul Giallorenzo 7pm ... Colorlist 7:40pm ... The Giving Tree Band 8:30pm ... Golosa 9:20pm ... Las Guitarras de Espana 10pm ... Bossa Saravah 10:50pm ... Khupera Tum 11:40pm ... About a Girl 12:20am ... Philip Morris 1am ... Violence Ammunition/Crash Davis
FILM + VIDEO FINE ARTS BLDG : CURTIS HALL 410 S MICHIGAN AVE : FRIDAY, May 2
SAIC's WAVEFORMS Curated by J.C. Loewe, James Murray and Leone Reeves 7-10pm Anida Yoeu Ali, James Murray, Nathan Butler, Gillian Pena, The Ssion, Gonzalo Escobar, Ryan Tacata, Ann Boyd, Jodie Mack
Curated by Alexander Stewart 10pm-12am Andy Roche, Inge Hoonte, Xander Marro, Chelsea Knight, Eric Patrick, Jared Larsen, Melika Bass, Brendan Meara
Curated by Colin Palombi 12-2am Kent Lambert, Brian Hank Henry, Michael Robinson, Cynthia Madansky, Alma Boro, Brian Boyce, Steve Reinke, Daniel Barrow
POSTHUMOUSLY YOURS 2-2:30am Work by the late Chicago video artist Zack Stiglicz Courtesy of Shellie Fleming
CULTURAL CENTER : CASSIDY THEATER 78 E WASHINGTON ST : FRIDAY, May 2
DIGITAL ANTIDOTES curated by LiveBox 9:45-10:45pm A collection of animated work featuring Bradley Hyppa, Kazuhiko Kobayashi, Hillary Mushkin, Orit Ben Shitut, Jessica Westbrook and more.
LITERARY FINE ARTS BLDG : CYSO SPACE 410 S MICHIGAN AVE : FRIDAY, May 2
6pm ... Psychopharmacology & Fiction: An Electronic Lecture 7pm ... Works in progress by SAIC's VCS graduate students 8pm ... Reading Hybridity 9pm ... Let Us Now Proclaim the Mystery: A Novel Reading and Sociological Film Experiment 12am ... The Stable: A Compilation of Art & Performance by Julia Klein 1am ... The Visual Narrative Project: Guest curated by Matthew Kelson, CAID
THEATRE FINE ARTS BLDG : WILLIAM LEE VIOLIN WORKSHOP 410 S MICHIGAN AVE : FRIDAY, May 2
Pluto Was a Planet 8-10pm A staged reading written by Laura Jacqmin, directed by Megan Shuchman and dramaturgy by Becky Perlman
