|
|
 Re: كريستيان ديور ، وتباين ثياب للموضة ببصمات اجساد قتلانا واعمال بصرية اخري 201 (Re: Khalid Kodi)
|
It feels like we are faced with a series of violent events on a local, national and international level that increase exponentially in both frequency and severity. In a world where it feels that consistent violence has become the norm it is becoming difficult to have faith in the goodness of others. That is why it is important to recognize, understand and appreciate the work of organizations such as Violence Transformed whose purpose is to celebrate the power of art that is created to confront, challenge and mediate violence. Violence Transformed develops a series of visual and performing arts events each year that raise awareness of the violence and traumas individuals, and communities face. Currently on display at the Copley Place Center Court in the Copley Place Mall, Boston is (Un)Covering Violence Transformed.
This particular exhibition focuses on the “human body as the site of our experiences and the recorder of visible and invisible encounters of affirmation or violence”. This exhibit sits in the nucleus of the Copley Place Mall, which is filled with high-end designer stores, fashionistas and well to-do businessmen on lunch-break. The poignant juxtaposition that is created between the art and the backdrop is immediately felt. A very obvious contrast created by the exhibit curators, Jonathan Shirland and Barry Gaither, is between Garments of war by Khalid Kodi and the Dior storefront in the background. This piece consists of two tattered and soiled garments on mannequins, which represents the civilian deaths and disruption in family life during war. The curators write, “They should move us to promote dialogue and peaceful solutions to political and social problems.”
Another important and jarring piece is “Generation” by Amelia Smith, which is a steel globe in the shape of a pregnant woman’s breasts and stomach. So much violence around the world is directed at women and children. This steel armor is meant to protect the mother and child and is deliberately and poignantly framed by two of the clocks comprising the storefront of Tourneau in the background. Ruth Rosner created a series of sculptures of women one of which was entitled “Walking Woman with Rust and Threads”. This piece is a relatively large sculpture of a woman made of plaster, wire, clay and found rusted ####l and threads. The sculpture represents the women who have lost children, spouses, parents, siblings etc. and are forced to walk far and long in search of safety and in hope of a future. Rosner states that the world often sees images of these women on the front page of the newspaper or in news reports yet they are still invisible.
One section of the exhibition is the 10” x 10” Project for which Boston artists were asked to create their own responses to the themes of Violence Transformed. At first it is difficult to take in the many small works that are presented. It would also be easy to write them off as unimportant simply due to their size. However, their depth and importance is realized once face to face with them. Each piece deserves the time and consideration of the viewer because each piece has a significant and personal message from the artist. Cat Reconciliation by Brian Murphy depicts a cat sitting on top of a dog. The idiom “fighting like cats and dogs” refers to an endless, irreconcilable battle. In Murphy’s piece the cat has decided to end the battle and help ease the dogs pain by giving him a massage, which the dog appreciates and hopes other cats will be inspired to do the same. Hope M. Ricciardi created a less whimsical piece, “Young Survivors of Conflict”, which depicts the rescued children of the Armenian diaspora. While the canvas size is small, Ricciardi’s work boldly and sadly states that children are all too often the victims and survivors of conflict. Ibrahim Ali-Salaam created two canvases; one entitled “They Got the Seat and the Back Wheel” and the second entitled “My Kuwahara…Or at Least What’s Left”. Ali-Salaam used his bike as an escape from violence. One day the seat and back wheel were stolen but the artist carried on with his childhood summer realizing he could replace the stolen parts. However, the majority of the bicycle was later stolen in an unknown neighborhood leaving the 13-year old artist feeling violated.
In a time when the news can rarely be turned on without a catastrophic event being reported it is important for communities to come together and rally around organizations such as Violence Transformed. Violence Transformed creates a platform for an open, productive and peaceful dialogue. (Un)Covering Violence Transformed is on display at the Copley Place Center Court through September 12th. Visit their website, violencetransformed.com, for additional information.
| |
  
|
|
|
|
Khalid Kodi
سيف النصر محي الدين
فيس بوك
تويتر
انستقرام
يوتيوب
بنتيريست