Building New Geographies of Practice
March Meeting 2011
Building New Geographies of Practice
Rijin Sahakian
Overview
Echo (Sadda) for Contemporary Iraqi Art is a non-profit organisation that aims to provide a centralised resource for contemporary Iraqi artists at a time when many archives have been lost or destroyed, either through oversight, the occupation, or deliberate tactics of eradication. Through digital and physical strategies, it addresses the lack of structure to generate documentation responsibly and the ability to house such work in the country itself.
Presentation Proposal
Echo (Sadda) for Contemporary Iraqi Art was founded to support, advocate and act as a catalyst for new art practices in Iraq and the diaspora. Echo’s long-term vision is to create a sustainable shift in the strengthening, generation and preservation of critical arts practice and discourse. This discussion will centre around upcoming initiatives addressing these aims, from new geographies of practice that integrate dispersed populations and materials, to digital tools and platforms designed to facilitate trans-global learning and production, as well as provide significant spaces for archives, exchange and engagement. The discussion will also include an update on Echo’s involvement with the Iraq Pavilion at the 2011 Venice Biennale, where Echo will be presenting a short documentary profiling several artists working in Baghdad today as well as contributing the catalogue essay on the works and artists included.
Rijin Sahakian - Echo (Sadda) for Contemporary Iraqi Art
Rijin Sahakian (b. 1978, Baghdad, Iraq), Founding Director of Echo (Sadda) for Contemporary Iraqi Art, has developed multidisciplinary arts programmes in the US and internationally. Rijin has presented work on contemporary Iraqi art and culture at universities and cultural meetings, including the World Bank, Arizona State University, Stanford University, and the Dubai Film Festival. She has also consulted on and produced various film and exhibition projects, including the feature film Detroit Unleaded, the Iraq:Reframe project at Montalvo Arts Center in Saratoga, California, and the Desert Initiative at the ASU Art Museum. She received her MA in Contemporary Art and Cultural Policy from New York University. Sahakian was awarded a graduate Fulbright Fellowship to continue her work on contemporary Iraqi art in Jordan. She was Contributing Editor for the catalogue and programmes of the Iraq Pavilion at the 2011 Venice Biennale.