Fall 2023-24
Screening of the films by Gian Spina
This September CASAR hosted a two day film screening event to showcase 3 interesting films by filmmaker Gian Spina, Calabouco and the Razing When I Die, Jordao, and That's Where the Money Is.
Gian Spina, born in São Paulo, Brazil is a writer, researcher and artist. Has worked and taught in educational projects as International Art Academy Palestine, Escola da Cidade (São Paulo), the Ionion Center for Arts and Culture (Greece) as well as CILAS (Cairo). Today he learns Arabic, speaks five other languages and is constructing an interdisciplinary body of work on the materialization of power in history, narrative and the public sphere. He was part of the residency programs as Capacete and Documenta 14 in Athens (2017), MMAG Foundation in Amman (2018) as well as GEGENWARTE/PRESENCES in Chemnitz, Germany (2020). Lately he participated on the Sheffield Film Festival, Les Rencontre d'Arles and the Museum of Modern Art in Rio de Janeiro. He has written articles for Mada Masr, Folha de São Paulo, Arts Everywhere, World Policy Institute, and several other independent publications.
He lives in Cairo and his work can be seen at gianspina.com.
Show Boat, the Birth of the American Musical with Kirsten Sanderson
This talk by Kirsten Sanderson tackled on the history of Musical Theatre with a focus on "Show Boat," and the birth of a new kind of Musical, one that put comedy, song, and dance together with a dramatic socially impactful story. Sanderson demonstrated how some of the most talented artists of the early 20th century, including Florenze Ziegfeld, Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein and Edna Ferber came together and reinvented the American Musical; creating a classic work that continues to thrill audiences 100 years later.
Speaker bio: Kirsten Sanderson has directed new plays by, Michael John LaChiusa, Craig Lucas, Shel Silverstein, Steven Schwartz and Blake Edwards, among others. Her work has been seen at Playwright's Horizons, Ensemble Studio Theatre, HBO Comedy Arts Festival, The Director's Company, Sundance Theatre Lab, The Women's Project, New York Fringe Festival, Carnegie Hall, and Town Hall, to name a few.
Arab Nude Exhibition
CASAR contributed $5,000 toward an exhibition which took place in New York, titled "Partisans of the Nude," a comprehensive survey showcasing genre art of the nude created by artists in regions previously under Ottoman influence but not yet Arab. The collection includes over 50 paintings, 20 drawings, sculptures, reliefs, photographs, film, and ephemera, shedding light on both the popular and critical reception of these works. Featured artists range from internationally recognized figures like Saloua Raouda Choucair, Jewad Selim, Kahlil Gibran, and Kamel Telmisany, to lesser-known individuals such as Fêla Kefi Leroux, Onnig Avedissian, Sophia Halaby, and Salah Taher. The exhibition also incorporates short videos of contemporary testimonials exploring the role of nudes in aesthetic, political, literary, and musical contexts. A collaborative effort by scholars from Algeria, Armenia, Lebanon, Palestine, and the USA contributed to locating, researching, and providing insights for the artworks. The team includes Alessandra Amin, Lyn Dabbous, Jessica Gerschultz, May Makki, Sato Moughalian, Alae El-Ouazzini, Iona Stewart, Laura Tibi, and Nadia Von Maltzahm.
Production of Henrik Ibsen's "An Enemy of the People"
CASAR hosted an immersive presentation of Henrik Ibsen's "An Enemy of the People," directed by acclaimed director Lucien Bourjeily and produced by Robert Myers of Alwaleed Center for American Studies and Research (CASAR). Running from November 10 to November 26, the play, performed in Lebanese Arabic, involved nearly two dozen AUB students from various disciplines in Theater 259, a theater production course, collaborating with seasoned Lebanese theater artists.
The production, set in a 1920s Lebanese town, depicted the conflict between science and business, focusing on a heated dispute between two brothers. Abdelrahim al Awji played Peter, the mayor and head of the town's spa, while Ziad Najjar portrayed Thomas, a doctor who uncovers water contamination and intends to expose it in the local newspaper. Peter strategically undermines Thomas's findings, turning the townspeople, portrayed by AUB students, against him.
Held in unique locations on the AUB campus like the Lee Observatory and a converted basement of Jessup Hall, the play explored themes of corruption, pollution, free press, and the consequences of voicing an unpopular truth. The production received much acclaim, with reviews praising its captivating form and themes, drawing parallels to contemporary issues in Lebanon and the broader region.
Book talk by Prof. Salah D. Hassan Sept. 20
