Curator, Iraq: Reframe,
Montalvo Arts Center,
2007-2008
With the Aurora Forum at Stanford University, California College for the Arts, MACBA, San Jose Institute for Contemporary Art, Triple Base Gallery, and the Saratoga Public Library
From 2007-2008, a year-long series of sculpture, performance, film, exhibition and talks with artists and writers engaged with Iraq. Presenting partners included the Aurora Forum at Stanford University, the California College of the Arts, the Institute of Contemporary Art San Jose, MACLA/Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana, Triple Base Gallery, the Saratoga Public Library, and the Mutanabbi Street Starts Here Coalition. With talks, performances and artworks by Adel Abidin, Kasim Abid, Sinan Antoon, Wafaa Bilal, Tom Engelhardt, Fady Hadid, Dahr Jamail, Hip Hop Sulha and the Narcicyst, Maysoon Pachachi, Heather Raffo, Michael Rakowitz, Nada Shabout, Anthony Shadid, and modern works including Shakir Hassan Al Said, Dia Azzawi, and Nouri al Rawi
“Rather than bringing the 'War' home, California's nonprofit organization Montalvo Arts Center is bringing Iraqi culture home as a means to adjust the political discourse. IRAQ: REFRAME is a multidisciplinary series of events that offers many diverse points of entry and departure, both conceptually and geographically…Illustrating how Montalvo's neighbors in Silicon Valley are profiting off the war, they have posted a page of corporations and their U.S. military contracts, not least of which is Lockhead-Martin Space System's 3.3 Billion dollar deal. When a lot of anti-war shows ultimately still amount to pretty objects in a white box, it's nice to see an organization attempting to reshape an expansive political landscape.” -Rhizome, Nov. 30, 2007
Speaker Series Content
Aurora Forum @ Stanford University Podcast Iraq:ReframePress
Project at Montalvo Explores Life, Politics of Iraq, San Jose Mercury News, Aug. 29, 2007Montalvo Reframes Iraq’s Story Through the Many Windows of Art, San Jose Mercury News, October 12, 2007
Exhibits Reveal Iraq As Defined by Art, Not War, San Jose Mercury News, Nov. 3, 2007
Iraq: Reframe -an unprecedented Silicon Valley initiative, e-flux announcements, November 27, 2007
Days of Rage, Rhizome, November 30, 2007
Michael Rakowitz's 'Enemy Kitchen' breaks down cultural barriers, SF Gate, Dec. 27, 2007
Mixed media on wood, 31 1/2 x 35 1/2. Private collection.
Moments from 20th Century Iraqi Art, Iraq: Reframe