Beirut artist, Rabih Mroué, returns to Vancouver with a video installation exhibition entitled, Nothing To Lose.
This exhibition questions what we know and what we have read, the tumultuous relationship between fact, fiction and construed narratives. Mroué’s practice explores the media’s ability to reinterpret and misinterpret, and the subjective impact this has on the public.
His performances are both conceptually and politically bold, using the backdrop of Lebanon to construct works that speak to everyone. When inquired about past projects Mroué states, “My works deal with issues that have been swept under the table in the current political climate of Lebanon.” His practice emerges from a generation of artists in Beirut that came of age during the civil war (1977-1990); works often address the aftermath, using photography and video to deconstruct and reconstruct its devastating consequences.
Presented with grunt gallery and PuSh International Performing Arts Festival. Join us for the opening reception of Nothing to Lose on Friday, January 10th (7pm–10pm). The exhibition is at grunt gallery from Jan 10 – Feb 8, 2014.
grunt gallery is also pleased to announce that there will be a workshop by Rabih Mroué on Art & Politics on Saturday, January 11th from 12noon-4pm at grunt gallery. This workshop is intended for performance artists, theatre actors and those involved with the performing arts. Admission to this workshop is $20 (student rate TBA), please email glenn(at)grunt.ca to sign up. This workshop has limited space available so be sure to sign up soon!
PuSh events with Rabih Mroué:
Rabih Mroué is no stranger to the city of Vancouver. Mroué provided an artist talk at PuSh Festival in 2012 and returns as a 2014 PuSh artist-in-residence. PuSh Festival is hosting a breakfast series event with Mroué on January 17 (http://pushfestival.ca/
Press Clippings:
Tate Modern: On Three Posters 2004
Georgia Straight: Rabih Mroué’s Nothing to Lose digs into war-making and picture-taking
The Vancouver Sun: PuSh Festival preview: Rabih Mroué
The Commentary: Pod cast interview with Rabih Mroué
The Vancouver Sun: Rabih Mroué: finding the humanity in a suicide bomber
The La Source: Multidisciplinary artist captures the political and the personal
grunt gallery: Interview article by Gizem Sözen & Eylül İşce
Publications:
Image(s), mon amour Fabrications: Rabih Mroué
Artist Bio:
Rabih Mroué was born in Beirut and lives between Beirut and Berlin. He is an actor, director, playwright, visual artist, and contributing editor in the Lebanese quarterly Kalamon and TDR (New York).
He is also a co-founder and board member of the Beirut Art Center (BAC). He is a fellow at The International Research Center: “Interweaving Performance Cultures”/Freie Universität- Berlin, 2013/2014.
In addition to his main work in theatre, Mroué’s recent exhibitions include: CA2M, Madrid 2013, Museé de la Dance (2013), dOCUMENTA 13, Kassel (2012), Templhof, Berlin – Hebbel theater, the world UnFair exhibition (2012), Lunds konsthall, Lund (12 March – 8 May 2011); Iniva (Institute of International Visual Arts), London (23 March – 14 May 2011) and Württembergischer Kunstverein, Stuttgart (22 May – 31 July 2011); and Tranzitdisplay, Prague (10 June – 14 August 2011), BAK, basis voor actuele kunst, Utrecht (21 May – 1 August 2010), Performa 09, New York (2009); 11th International Istanbul Biennale (2009); Tarjama/Translation, Queens Museum of Art, New York (2009); Soft Manipulation – Who is afraid of the new now?, Casino Luxembourg, Luxembourg (2009); Sharjah Biennale (2009); Medium Religion, ZKM | Zentrum für Kunst und Medientechnologie Karlsruhe (2008); and Les Inquiets. 5 artistes sous la pression de la guerre, Centre national d’art et de culture Georges Pompidou, Paris (2008). In 2010, he was awarded an Artist Grant for Theater/Performance Arts from the Foundation of Contemporary Arts 2010, New York and the Spalding Gray Award 2011 and Prince Clause Award, 2011.