Araam: Breathing Space

Zion Arts Centre, Hulme
1-21 April 2011

Private View: Friday 1 April 2011
6-8pm at Zion Arts Centre

Please RSVP to hannah@zionarts.com
or call on 0161 226 1912

Zion Arts Centre
335 Stretford Road
Hulme
Manchester
M15 5ZA

Tel: 0161 226 1912
www.zionarts.com
Free Admission

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View One69a's Workshop Blog

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Araam is a unique partnership project initiated by Shisha, the international agency for contemporary South Asian crafts and visual arts, in partnership with Mid Pennine Arts. The first of its kind, and building on cultural links between the North West of England and Pakistan, this touring exhibition, showcases the work of two exciting, contemporary UK artists – Halima Cassell and Zarah Hussain. The exhibition will feature both newly commissioned and existing work, including 5 new pieces by Hussain, as well as work in progress produced from the artists’ residencies in Pakistan and the UK.

Araam has been developed to enable ‘breathing space’ for the artists to research, develop new ideas and experiment with creative disciplines. During this process, both Cassell and Hussain explored their Pakistani roots, issues around identity and pushed boundaries in their creative practices. Cassell and Hussain use very different artistic mediums, but both are inspired by their ancestral heritage and Islamic influences through pattern and architecture resonate in their work.

As an ongoing project, Araam has been developed through a number of phases. An initial research and development visit to art schools, museums, galleries and cultural centres in the Pakistani cities of Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi was organised by Shisha’s Deputy Director, Fareda Khan, and undertaken in 2009 with Halima Cassell and Mid Pennine Arts Director Nick Hunt.

The three-city tour had several aims. As well as a brief introduction to Pakistan’s vibrant traditional and contemporary visual art and craft scene, the visit galvanised existing links and formed partnerships between Shisha, two international art schools and a dynamic artist collective to establish the artist residency programme for Halima Cassell. In addition, the visit supported the Pakistani art schools’ aims to connect students with international artists and makers.

Ceramic artist, Cassell completed her residencies in Pakistan, starting at the prestigious academic institution, Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture, and the highly-renowned artist collective, VASL in Karachi. The second location was the internationally acclaimed National College of Arts in Lahore and Cassell also worked with students at Beacon House University, Lahore.

Cassell spent her time in Pakistan researching, developing ideas and exploring new artistic and local craft techniques and methodologies, which are specific to different regions. Zarah Hussain was involved in a residency programme at Mid Pennine Arts in Burnley, Lancashire where local audiences could engage with the Artist in Residence.

The finished works, inspired by the artists’ creative explorations feature in the Araam: Breathing Space exhibition and will run concurrently at Zion Arts Centre in Manchester from 1-23 April 2011. The exhibition will showcase the artists’ completed and developmental work and will provide an opportunity to document the innovative, intercultural and experimental component of the Araam project.