Uncategorized

See The Mashrabiya Project in Old City

March 8, 2023 by HughE Dillon Leave a comment

The Mashrabiya Project Opens at The Museum for Art in Wood in Old City.

Old City was energized on Friday as First Friday resumed a few months ago, and really seems to be hitting it’s stride again this year. So many art galleries and shops were open, attracting locals and art enthusiast a like. I headed to The Museum for Art in Wood and the opening night of The Mashrabiya Project

Anila Quayyum Agha stands next to her work”Charred Gold,” is a Mashrabiya made of charred block is, each embellished with words in English and Urdu describing emotions. .

The Mashrabiya Project is a community-focused, shared experience that links the heritage of the mashrabiya, a screening element with ancient origins, to responses in art and design that reflect considerations of space and seeing in contemporary life. The Project—the first in the U.S. to examine the mashrabiya as both an architectural object and a locus of metaphor—presents an opportunity for dialogue and connection across cultural and geographic borders.

Hoda Tawakol ,Majida Khattari,, Nadia Kaabi-Linke, Anila Quayyum Agha, and Jennifer-Navva Milliken, executive director and chief curator of the Museum for Art in Wood,

In newly commissioned works, six artists from the Muslim world— Anila Quayyum Agha,, Nidaa Badwan, Susan Hefuna, Nadia Kaabi-Linke, Majida Khattari, and Hoda Tawakol created societal and cultural concepts evoked by the mashrabiya.

Bill Gehrman, Owner & CEO · En Route and Tracy Buchholz Director of Public Relations En Route
Amrut Mishra and Micki Burdick enjoying the exhibition
Hoda Tawakol, Zaid Alrawi and Yarub
Guests view Majida Khattari‘s “Orientalismes revisités à Philadelphie” in which a series of photos displayed on a video screen must be viewed through a mashrabiya. Many of the photos are local artists or art lovers in the Philly area.
Leila Cartier, Executive Director of CraftNow takes a photo of herself in Majida Khattari‘s “Orientalismes revisités à Philadelphie”
Marilyn Nack, and Elissa Topol, Chair of CraftNOW Philadelphia
Patricia Fowler, Esq., President, Museum for Art in Wood greets the guests.
Guests relax on the sofa while enjoying the exhibition
Lindsey Bedford, with FringeArts is the new Director of Marketing and Communications and Rachel Zimmerman, Artistic and Executive Director of InLiquid
Ruth and Rick Synderman

“The Mashrabiya Project” is on display at the Museum for Art in Wood until July 23 and is free. The Museum also have other exhibitions on display, and a great gift shop. So many unique items.