Arab Queer Heritage – Open Studios Night

On Wednesday 14th of September, we will present you our open studios night, however, this time focusing on the topic of Arab queer heritage. Our newest residents Magid and Ahmad BaBa will talk about the origins of their work and the projects they are working on during the residency. They will show us how they define and perceive their Arab heritage and physicality, and whether these areas are mutually exclusive or can find a common dialogue.

Magid (they/them) are a visual artist who focuses on taboo and culturally sensitive issues, such as mental illness, sexual assault, family honor, and queerness. They develop their practice through artistic research, human experiences and personal interactions, which they then attempt to translate into activism and thereby challenge social structures. In the current project, the fusion of performance and fashion with traditional forms of visual art allows them to better express the emotions hidden behind cultural celebrations, community struggle and lost heritage.

Ahmad BaBa is a Lebanese visual and performative artist based in Berlin whose work is rooted in critical interdisciplinarity and anti-oppressive practices. Ahmad has experience in musical arts and is currently studying dance and movement therapy (master’s) with a focus on the development of physical, artistic and therapeutic processes.

His visualizations approach identity from a critical and collective archival perspective that revolves around an understanding of queerness in relation to a multi-layered Arab* Muslim identity(s).

The residency is supported using public funding by Slovak Arts Council. Slovak Arts Council is the main partner of the project. The project is also supported by the city Košice.