D6: Culture in Transit welcomes artists Amak Mahmoodian and Zariq Rosita-Hanif back to Newcastle to present their work as part of Artists Connecting in Transition (ACT), a programme connecting artists with lived experience of exile in Jordan, Turkey and the UK. 

How are dialogues of exile explored in artistic practice?

How are connections made and spaces created?

Where do creative journeys lead to?

In conversation with Amak and Zariq, we will explore these critical questions through work they have produced as part of their recent ACT residencies at D6 and participation in wider conversations with artists and producers in Irbid (Jordan) and Istanbul (Turkey) facilitated by the Fanak Fund (who work across the Arab speaking world).

About the artists

Amak Mahmoodian was born in Shiraz, Iran and currently lives in Bristol. In 2015, she completed a PhD in photography at the University of South Wales, having previously studied at the Art University of Tehran. She has exhibited her work extensively and won numerous international photography awards. 

My work questions notions of identity and home, bridging a space between personal and political. Through my journey I explore the effects of exile and distance on memory, dreams and daily life. 

Zariq Rosita-Hanif is a self-taught artist-illustrator, a novice player of the Sampe’ (a Bornean boat lute) and an aspiring children’s author. Her art revolves around heritage and history, interweaving Malaysian and British cultural narratives and folklore with contemporary societal issues relating to forced migration and discrimination.

I’m looking to forgotten figures of the past to tell my story of upheaval … But it’s not about romanticising the concept of seeking sanctuary … there’s a need to provoke as well.

We will also share artwork created by artists participating in ACT: Hescham Karschan, Mohammed Bitar, Ammar Alhamidi and Hazem Waked, which spans photography, digital art and painting.   

Event details

We'd love to make this an opportunity for discussion, and there will be plenty of time for questions and contributions from the audience.

17:00: Doors open, soft drinks and light bites served (there is also a bar to purchase a range of drinks)

17:30: Introductions and presentations from the artists, with time for questions

18:30: Informal networking 

19:00: Event ends

**We have a limited number of travel bursaries. Please contact andrea@d6culture.org if you need support covering travel costs**

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ACT is a new international programme in partnership with D6: Culture in Transit (UK), Arthereistanbul (Turkey), MedeArts (Jordan) and the Fanak Fund (who work across the Arab speaking world). It is funded by a British Council International Collaboration Grant.