Brave and Beautiful Art

Date: 2018 Apr 27 - 2018 Oct 1

Experience three contemporary art installations that are as beautiful as they are thought-provoking. 

FROM BAGHDAD TO TIMBUKTU: LIBRARIES RISING FROM THE ASHES
July 14–August 19

This exhibition shines a spotlight on the cultural destruction in Iraq and Mali. Monuments, architecture, libraries and works of art have been subject to systematic damage and destruction in an attempt to erase knowledge and artistic achievements. Wafaa Bilal’s contemporary artwork, 168:01, starts out as shelves of blank white books. Over the run of the exhibition, visitors transform the installation by donating educational texts to replace the blank white books. The exhibition also showcases the film Tutto è Scritto, which documents the conflict in Timbuktu, an ancient city in Mali, and the work undertaken to preserve their texts.
Learn more about the exhibition

Hear from the artist himself
Thursday, July 19, 1–2 pm

Wafaa Bilal discusses his most recent project, 168:01, and elaborates on the evolution of his work, reflecting on his personal narrative and experiences living in both the conflict zone of Iraq and the comfort zone of the United States.
Reserve your place for this one-off lecture

Unlock your inner poet
Sunday, July 22, 11 am–4 pm

Participate in a series of dynamic writing activities using Wafaa Bilal’s work as your inspiration. Popular instructors Kelley Aitken and Laboni Islam return to help you generate your own poetry and prose, independently and collaboratively.
Reserve your spot at this workshop today

REFLECTIONS OF HOPE: AIDA MULUNEH IN THE AGA KHAN PARK
April 27–September 3

Photographer Aida Muluneh transforms the Aga Khan Park’s reflecting pools into an exhibition venue for the first time with a free outdoor art installation. The 10 mirrored portraits in Reflections of Hope explore subjects such as slavery, war, colonialism, and human rights.
Learn more about this stunning intallation

SUSPENDED TOGETHER
May 29–October 1

Artist Manal AlDowayan’s work addresses the Saudi Arabian law that requires female citizens to obtain written permission from a male guardian to travel independently. AlDowayan has created an installation of white doves with copies of women’s travel documents imprinted on their wings. Images of these documents were donated by Saudi females of many different ages and social roles. While the installation gives an impression of movement, the fibreglass doves are motionless, suspended together.
Discover more about this installation

Photo credits:
Photos on the left side by Frank Piccolo, 2016, copyright © Wafaa Bilal. Photo in the middle: Detail of Fragments, 2016, The World is 9, series. Courtesy of David Krut Projects, New York/USA. Photo on the right side by Russ Martin.