Opportunity to Attend The Darat al Funun Workshop for Artists in Jordan 2019

The Darat Al Funun of the Khaled Shoman Foundation announced the opening of the 2019 Summer Academy Workshop. Launched on the occasion of our 30th anniversary, with a regional scope, the 2019 Summer Academy is an intensive four week program at Darat al Funun starting 15 June 2019 combining art practices and theory for artists of all experience levels to enhance their skills, through a series of intensive courses provided by artists, curators, and academics. Grounded in the Arab world, artists will have the opportunity to exchange knowledge with their peers, and to hear and learn from prominent guest speakers. This first year, the practice-based focus of the 2019 Summer Academy will mainly be on developing and structuring a photographic project from conception to creation to presentation.

Eligibility:

The Darat al Funun is looking for a maximum of 12 motivated and committed participants from a mix of backgrounds, but particularly graduates and emerging artists who are working or considering working in photography, and who want to explore, reconnect or reimagine their practice grounded in the Arab world. At the same time, participants will be able to hone their theoretical skills through courses on art criticism and art writing - with a special focus on Arab writers and the Arabic language, as well as perspectives on curatorial and art practices in the region.

Note: Courses are given in Arabic and English and command of both languages is required.

Workshop Parts: 

This workshop will be held in 3 parts: 

• Developing a Photographic Project: The first two weeks of the Summer Academy will be directed by Palestinian artist Ahlam Shibli. Participants will deal with the notion of ‘home’ and will develop a photographic project focusing on this topic. The participants will choose specific subjects and discuss them in group meetings. Before going into town to photograph, they will write scripts reflecting subject, methods, and goals. After the photographs have been taken, the process will continue with reviewing and editing the photographs, writing captions, artist’s statements and finally presenting the works.
• Arts and Politics in the Arab World: During the third week of the Summer Academy, independent curator and art historian Salwa Mikdadi, will give an introduction on Arts and Politics in the Arab World. Participants will also be given readings and take part in group discussions. In addition, a seminar titled “The Black Radical Imagination: Implications for Art Criticism” will focus on the linkages between Postcolonial studies and the Black radical traditions and their implications for the visual arts in general and art criticism more specifically. This seminar will be led by Salah Hassan, Director of the Sharjah Africa Institute, UAE. 
• Photography and Creative Writing: The last week of the Summer Academy will be directed by Syrian photographer Hrair Sarkissian. The course will focus on how to use photography to rethink personal, historical, or socio-political narratives. Participants will explore these themes grounded in their own experiences, develop a narrative under the creative guidance of a writer, think through how to represent this photographically, and finally develop their project.  

Fees:

No tuition fees are required to attend the Summer Academy. But participants are expected to pay their own travel costs to/from Amman. For participants from outside Amman, The foundation will offer shared accommodation in one of its residency flats and a per diem. 

Participants also are expected to bring a camera (preferably digital), laptop or tablet, material from their own archives.  

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