Our fast-evolving societies transform cultural rituals and traditions into a manufactured reflection of our time, effectively changing how we perceive the past—a product of socially framed collective memories shaped by our surroundings, interactions, and spaces.
Azeema comes from the Arabic word Azouma, meaning feast. Azeema is a social event or a party in Khaleeji societies that cultivates a sense of belonging and fosters social connectivity between family, friends, and extended relations; it is a place of unity, celebrating historical and cultural traditions. By examining different components, truths, memories, and ideologies surrounding the Azeema phenomenon, can we explore the dynamics of collective memory? How can artists from the region contribute to and commemorate this unique social event?
Memory assemblages and imagined objects play an integral role in inducing a sense of nostalgia by connecting us to our memories of habitual practices and historical narratives. Through this exhibition, we study the memory of a significant and singular event that is practiced within the Khaleej, a social gathering—the Azeema. With photography, sculptures, and installations, ten artists from the Khaleej contribute their own insights and interpretations through immersive experiences, provoking viewers into a new space of social remembering and cultural appreciation.
Participating artists: Aisha AlSowaidi, Asma Khoury, Bader AlBalawi, Elham AlDawsari, Filwa Nazer, Khalid AlBanna, Moza AlMatrooshi, Noura AlSerkal, Saad AlHowede, and Tasneem AlSultan.
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Misk Art Week