Most recent articles by Charlotte Bank
-
The Syrian art project "Cutting Away the Void"Documenting the tragedy of the Syrian revolt
The Syrian–British artist couple Nora and Fritz Best spent two weeks with Syrian refugees in Amman, creating a series of empathetic portraits of the refugees and recording their experiences. The resulting portraits and statements provide a touching but disturbing insight into the harrowing story of present-day Syria
-
Mohammad Malas's film "Ladder to Damascus"Between dream and disaster
In his new film, "Ladder to Damascus", the renowned Syrian filmmaker Mohammad Malas has succeeded in portraying the whole tragedy of the Syrian conflict without depicting any scenes of violence. By Charlotte Bank
-
Salah Saouli: The Days of the Blue BatA Piece of the Collective Memory Mosaic
The work of German-Lebanese artist Salah Saouli repeatedly draws on strands of recent Lebanese history and examines how these are perceived in the individual and collective consciousness. By Charlotte Bank
-
Ifa exhibition: Syrian Short Films and VideosSomwhere between Art and Activism
How have Syria's independent artists been addressing the escalating violence in their native country since the start of the uprising against the Assad regime? For the first time ever, the ifa-Galerie in Berlin is showing videos and short films by Syrian artists inspired by the revolution in an exhibition entitled "Bewegte Bilder" (Moving Images). By Charlotte Bank
-
Missing: the Syrian Film-maker Orwa NyrabiaThe Hunt for Awkward Cultural Activists
Last Thursday afternoon, Orwa Nyrabia, film-maker, festival organiser and activist, disappeared as he was on the way to board a flight from Damascus to Cairo. It is assumed that he was arrested at Damascus airport by the Syrian security services. But, as Charlotte Bank reports, the case is not unique
-
Comics Artists in the Arab WorldSwimming against the Tide
Many of the Arab comics and graphic novels produced before and during the Arab Spring are both critical of society and politically provocative. Despite the uprisings in the region, difficult working conditions and the strict constraints of media censorship still pose a big problem for the rebellious artists. A report by Charlotte Bank
-
Art and Resistance in SyriaCreative Awakening
In Syria, a diverse cultural protest movement is rebelling against the Assad regime in a way that is both subtle and open. Charlotte Bank reports
-
Syrian Artists Caught between Censorship and CriticismThe Art of Ambiguity
Despite the country's dictatorship, Syria has had a long tradition of artistic criticism of the regime – often couched in the indirect language of metaphor. Yet, since the advent of the protests in Syria, the nature of criticism has changed. Charlotte Bank reports
-
Social Protest and Young Arab ArtWinds of Change
The output of young artists in the Arab world is clear evidence that young people here have for a long time been grappling with prevailing social conditions in their particular nations. Observations by Charlotte Bank
-
Arts and Culture in the Gulf RegionThe End of Tolerance
In recent years, the United Arab Emirates have succeeded in presenting a number of prestigious arts projects and cultural events. Now though, questions are having to be asked about academic and artistic freedom there. Charlotte Bank reports