Shubbak in London

Shubbak: London’s first ever celebration of Arab contemporary Arts and ‘A window on Arab contemporary arts’ has drawn tens of Arab artists, writers, performers , etc form various Arab countries hosted in more than 70 events in 30 locations around London. Shopopolis: The connection between between commodities and communities Youtube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuw6oj9s88Q    An initiative by the Delfina Foundation that explores the notion of shopping centres as social spaces through reciprocal residencies and workshops in the UAE and the UK As part of the Shubbak festival: A Window on Contemporary Arab Culture, the Delfina Foundation presented an exhibition by a London-based collective of artists and architects - public works - and Emirati artists Khalid Mezaina and Karima al-Shomely, entilted: Shopopolis'. Both have been exploring the link between commodities and communities as part of Shopopolis, in partnership with Westfield London, the Emirates Foundation, the British Council and Tashkeel. A musical revolution into the Arab world (With Arabic subtitles) Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dld--87sXwA Three of the best new performers in the Middle East launch Shubbak festival in an open air musical concert in the heart of London An open air musical concert in the heart of London marks the begining of the Shubbak festival from 4-24 July which celebrates Arab contemporary arts. The concert gathered three of the best new performers in the Middle East, combining DJ sets and live acts mixing traditional Arabic music and electro. An open air musical concert in the heart of London launching Shubbak festival on July 4th The video interviews Lebanese artist Zeid Hamdan Godfather of Lebanese trip-hop, Tamer Abu Ghazaleh, Oud and Buzuk player from Palestine and founder of pan-Arab music Label Ekaa3, with Mariam Saleh, a young and cutting-edge singer from Cairo. ‘A Girl and her Room’: A photo exhibition for Shubbak -with british and arab speakers Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0NSUqpDlvI Arab-American photographer, Rania Matar brings her award-winning series of images to the UK for the first time as part of Shubbak festival The Arab-American photographer, Rania Matar brings her award-winning series of images, ‘A Girl and her Room’, to the UK for the first time as part of the Mayor of London Shubbak festival at the prestigious mosaic rooms. The series features colourful photographic portraits of teenage girls in their personal space in America, Matar's native Lebanon and Palestine. The result is a moving and sometimes unsettling study of the chasm between childhood and adulthood and how girls face similar issues at that age, regardless of culture, religion and background. This project began by Matar photographing her teenage daughter with her friends. She soon realised the girls were very conscious of each other in the way they behaved and represented themselves when together. From there emerged the idea of photographing each girl alone in her personal space, where she would give a more honest representation of her personality.