This bilingual publication features a text by Skye Arundhati Thomas*, exploring Abu Hamdan’s practice and ways in which the artist tackled issues around borders, surveillance and displacement.
Drawn largely from the Art Jameel Collection, Artist’s Rooms is a series of solo exhibitions by influential, innovative artists, with particular focus on practitioners from the Middle East, Asia and Africa. These capsule shows are collaborative and curated in dialogue with the artist.
*The essay by Skye Arundhati Thomas was first published in the exhibition catalogue Lawrence Abu Hamdan: The Voice Before The Law, ed. Ina Dinter (Cologne: Wienand Verlag, 2019), 24-28. ‘The Voice Before the Law’ was presented at Nationalgalerie im Hamburger Bahnhof—Museum für Gegenwart—Berlin from October 26, 2019, to February 9, 2020.
About the Artist
Lawrence Abu Hamdan is a ‘Private Ear.’ His interest with sound and its intersection with politics originate from his background as a touring musician and facilitator of DIY music. The artist’s audio investigations have been used as evidence at the UK Asylum and Immigration Tribunal and as advocacy for organisations such as Amnesty International and Defence for Children International together with fellow researchers from Forensic Architecture.
About the Contributor
Skye Arundhati Thomas is a freelance writer and editor based in India.
About Jameel Arts Centre
Jameel Arts Centre is an independent institution dedicated to exhibiting contemporary art to the public and engaging communities through learning, research and commissions. Founded and supported by Art Jameel, the Centre is located in Jaddaf Waterfront, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
About Art Jameel
Art Jameel is an organisation that supports artists and creative communities. Current initiatives include running heritage institutes and restoration programmes, plus a broad range of arts and educational initiatives for all ages. The organisation’s programmes foster the role of the arts in building open, connected communities; at a time of flux and dramatic societal shifts, this role is understood as more crucial than ever.
