Conferences

Khamseen (sandstorm in arabic) will explore how art and craft practice in Cairo is impacting on society through the work of contemporary practitioners and innovative art projects. It will ask how society can nurture traditional skills whilst remaining open to innovation?

Why Cairo? Because in Cairo today we have a model where the recognition of the value of traditional skills is in resurgence and is playing a pivotal part in the regeneration of Cairo and artistic practice across the Middle East.

Khamseen will bring together leading artists and professionals to discuss the context for this change and how it might relate to contemporary practice here in the UK.   

 "I had this vague conviction that every human being was born an artist, but that his or her gifts could be brought out only if artistic activity was encouraged from early childhood by way of practising a craft...” Ramses Wissa Wassef, architect 

Programme

Wednesday 8th July     

13:00 – 17:30

Chaired by Janis Jefferies

13:00 REGISTRATION 

Setting the Scene - soundscape and images from Cairo. 

13:20         WELCOME to FORMING IDEAS - KHAMSEEN

13:30-14:00 Stories in the Contemporary

Dr Amr Abdel Kawi - Editor of ‘Magaz’ design magazine 

        The power of the individual to affect change 

14:00-14:30 Ikram Nosshi - Director, Ramses Wissa Wassef Art Centre, Cairo

 Craft as a social document

“The creative energy of the average person is being sapped by a conformist system of education and the extension of industrial technology to every sphere of modern life." Ramses Wissa Wassef, architect

14:30-14:45 TEA / COFFEE

14:45-15:30 Glenn Adamson - Head of Graduate Studies, Research Dept, Victoria & Albert                                     Museum and co-editor of the Journal of Modern Craft (UK)  

The Value of Craft 

15:30-15:50 Q&A chaired by Janis Jefferies 

15:50-16:50 Navigating History 

How do artists approach tradition and innovation in their practice and how do their personal histories impact on their practice?

Artist presentations: Susan Hefuna (artist)

                              Khaled Hafez (artist)

16:50-17:00 Roundtable discussion with artists chaired by Dr Amr Abdel Kawi

17:00-17:15 Reflection on day’s discussion by Janis Jefferies

18.30-19.30       Private view of Jameel Prize exhibition and reception hosted by Tim Stanley,   

Senior Curator, Middle East, Asian Dept. at the Victoria & Albert Museum                                             (exhibition road entrance) 

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Thursday 9th July

08:45 – 13:30 

Chaired by Charles Merewether

08:45-09:15 CLOAKROOM and ARRIVAL

09:15-09:30 Introduction by Charles Merewether - art historian, writer and curator

09:30-10:45 Practices of Engagement and Specificities of Location

William Wells, Director  -The Townhouse Gallery 

Dina Bakhoum - Conservation Programme Manager, Aga Khan Cultural Services,     Egypt

10:45-11:10 Q&A chaired by Charles Merewether 

11:10-11:45 TEA / COFFEE

11:45-12:45 Future Directions 

Collecting, commissioning and artist projects 

Venetia Porter - curator, Middle Eastern Department, British Museum

                        Rose Issa - Independent curator, producer and writer on visual art and film                                       from the Middle East and North Africa  

                        Sara Black, Director  - Projectbase, Cornwall

                        Aleya Hamza, curator - Contemporary Image Collective, Cairo

12:45-13:00 Q&A 

13:00-13:15 Summing up

PLEASE NOTE

All participants of the Cairo symposium were cordially invited by the V&A to attend an afternoon debate on the 9^th July about the Jameel Prize in the lecture theatre, Sackle Centre for Education, V&A

Debate: Islamic, contemporary, craft, art, design: What is the Jameel Prize?

Programme

15.00       Tea/coffee 

15.30 -17.30    Introduction to the Jameel Prize and the story behind it

             Introduction to the Jameel Prize artists

             Artists’ response to the Jameel Prize

             General discussion

17.30       Debate ends

Location for Symposium

The Ismaili Centre, Thurloe Place, London SW7

The Forming Ideas Cairo symposium – ‘Khamseen’ was organised by the following group of UK curators and arts professionals who went on a research trip to Cairo in October 2008:

Sara Black

Yasmin Canvin

Zelina Garland

Ailsa Golding

Jennifer Hallam

Janis Jefferies

Kate Newnham

Andrew Proctor

Kate Stoddart

Grainne Sweeney

In conjunction with ArtProjects and Solutions staff: 

Camilla Cañellas

Ann Jones

Julia Bunnage

Yasmeen Alawadi

The Ismaili Centre was opened in 1985 to commemorate His Highness the Aga Khan’s Silver Jubilee. The building is a cultural, religious and social space designed for the Shia Ismaili Muslim community. In keeping with the spirit of its architectural design, creating a sense of balance and serenity, the Centre also fosters friendship, understanding and dialogue through its various activities with the wider community.

Transport:

London Underground to South Kensington 

London buses 14, 345, 49, 70, 74 and C1