PARTICIPANTS

“This year we realized that we received a higher number of applications from candidates with professional curatorial backgrounds. However, we are pleased that we still have a nice balance of people with varying degrees of experience, age ranges, and backgrounds.”, said Emily Sarsam talking about TASAWAR CURATORIAL STUDIOS, the curatorial study program hosted by the GOETHE-INSTITUT in Tunis. Biweekly seminars are at the core of the program. They encompass lectures, discussions, and training with local and international experts structured around a curriculum with a focus on key competencies for content- and concept-driven exhibitions, discussions, and critical writing. The one-year program consists of the studios and of three praxis projects: an exhibition, a conference, and a publication.

TASAWAR CURATORIAL STUDIOS [3], starting in October 2021, is a regional project with the Goethe-Institut Tunis (Tunisia) as initiator and coordinator, working jointly with the Goethe-Institut in Amman (Jordan), the Goethe-Institut in Rabat (Morocco), and the Goethe-Institut in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia). The third edition of the TASAWAR CURATORIAL STUDIO started with 42 applications from Austria, Belgium, Canada, Egypt, France, Iraq, Jordan, Germany, Lebanon, Morocco, The Netherlands, Palestine, Saudi-Arabia, and Syria. Many of the applicants were excited to join TASAWAR to link with an international and diverse network. They stated explicitly that they wish to collectively explore ways of handling their local art scenes without necessarily resorting to models from the Global North. “We were particularly touched to learn that many candidates already embody TASAWAR’s values and ideas.”, said Daniela Nofal.

The TASAWAR [3] jury consisted of Emily Sarsam from the Goethe-Institut Tunis and Salma Kossemtini, coordinator of the TASAWAR [2] program as well as Bettina Pelz, the director of the Program, Aymen Gharbi, head of the program’s building block “Moving between Languages”. As well Alexia Alexandropoulou, Ines Baccouche, Sara Mari Blom, Samira Bouabana, Daniela Nofal, all fellows of the TASAWAR 2 program, joined the jury. Part of their resume is that “many participants applied to TASAWAR in the hopes of deepening their theoretical knowledge, to structure their ideas and go beyond the framework of “learning by doing” through reflecting, discussing, and practicing within a collective.”

The preselection was accomplished collectively, the interviews were done in tandems. “It was a pleasure to speak to such a diverse group of people, with backgrounds stretching from Canada to Saudi Arabia, and learn from their rich experience in the art world and beyond. We are very excited about the synergies and collective projects that will grow during TASAWAR [3].”, said Salma Kossemtini after the interviews. “I think we found the perfect mix for TASAWAR [3], we are looking forward to the new research and study collective that will reshape the program with their expertise, interest, and engagement”, stated Bettina Pelz.

Here the list of fellows that have been selected: Achraf Remok | Ana Rodriguez | Anne van Lierop | Aya Bseiso | Cyrine Ghrissi | Dana Kaoukji | Dhia Dhibi | Eva Bruno | Farah Sayem | Hajer Chiha | Hanen Mahfoud | Hiba Kattan | Janet Sebri | Jasmin Chebil | Kathleen de Meeûs | Mana Moursi | Marwa Benhalim | Mehdi Ouahmane | Meriam Gaied | Nour Halawa | Omar Chennafi | Ons Jalel | Paola Farran | Rahma Jmaiel | Roya Mansar | Samer Betar | Sarah Nesbitt | Shadin Albulaihed