The “Unprepared” workshop hosted Rabie Zreiqat and Madhusree Dutta as the first two guests in its series of meetings that will continue until the end of this year.
Zreiqat addressed popular and rural knowledge and how to utilise expertise related to local ecologies to inspire sustainable solutions to the most urgent economic and social challenges facing us today. He proposed an alternative educational model which seeks to create independent and productive communities that reclaim sovereignty over their lands and resources. Zreiqat also presented and highlighted the Qamh al-Barakah [al-Barakah Wheat] project for collective cultivation of wheat in Amman.
The discussion with the participants focussed on the relationship between this educational model, the community and cultural production. It also reflected on its relevance within a broader regional context in parallel with similar models in Palestine and Egypt.
Zreiqat founded the Zikra Initiative for Popular Learning in 2007. The organisation has been exploring the rich knowledge of rural and popular communities and was awarded the UNESCO-Japan Prize on Education for Sustainable Development in Paris
During the session with Indian author, curator and filmmaker Madhusree Dutta, the discussion questioned the role of curators, artistic freedom, representation and the significance of transferring and transmitting local culture from one place to another.
Dutta is an internationally prominent figure in the fields of art and culture. She is known for organising various cultural and art projects, including exhibitions and biennials targeting wide and diverse audiences. Dutta is also known for her academic contributions and reflections on artistic and exhibition production processes in contemporary contexts.
Curator Ala’ Younis moderates the “Unprepared” workshop sessions, organised by the A.M. Qattan Foundation through the second round of the “Visual Arts: A Flourishing Field” grant project, funded by Sweden.
Conversation with Madhusree Dutta “Unprepared” workshop
Conversation with Rabee Zureikat “Unprepared” workshop