Art as Action: Palestine Today

Date: Saturday, 19th July, 2 – 4pm

Venue: Five Arts Centre, 9th Floor, GMBB KL

How can we as artists respond to what’s happening in Gaza at this moment? How can we answer the Palestinian journalist Hossam Shabbat’s final call: “do not stop speaking about Gaza. Do not let the world look away. Keep fighting, keep telling our stories—until Palestine is free.” What work can we as artists do to advance the liberation of the Palestinian people, and other oppressed and besieged peoples abroad and at home?

In this event, we invite artists to come together, reflect on these questions, and discuss their own practices in relation to liberation and solidarity. We will begin by discussing Fargo Nissim Tbakhi’s essay “Notes on Craft: Writing in the Hour of Genocide” and a chapter from Mohammed El-Kurd’s Perfect Victims: Politics of Appeal. We will then discuss our current artistic strategies and brainstorm new ways to develop our work to meet the demands of our time. Join us in the critical and urgent task of building community and sharpening our art for a free Palestine. 

Artists of all experience and backgrounds are welcome. Readings will be emailed to participants after registration. 

This event is supported by Five Arts Centre. 

Artwork in poster by Nada Almosa (@elnadawiya on Instagram) from her multimedia installation ‘conversations between living and ghost gardens’ (2024).