Reflecting on 2019 / Musing on 2020
2019: Key Moments from Marsoum’s First Full Year
Originally Published: January 10, 2020.
Jerusalem, The pièce-de-resistance of “A National Monument”
Sowing the seeds of our Visualizing Palestine partnership
We saw our partnership with Visualizing Palestine culminate in something monumental. Our online iteration of “A National Monument”, their collaboration with celebrated Lebanese-Palestinian artist Marwan Rechmaoui, raised over $4,000 in 2019 through sales of several of the limited-edition 3D reliefs of major pre-1948 Nakbah Palestinian cities and villages.
“A National Monument” continues to run online exclusively at marsoum.co . Several cities will also be displayed in Dubai’s Jameel Art Centre in early-2020.
My, How We’ve Grown.
We started out with six artists in 2018. While keeping our commitment to representing artists inspired by or of the Middle Eastern & North African diaspora, we successfully grew the collective to include several more artists in 2019. These were:
- Amar Dawod (Iraq-Sweden)
- Hady Boraey (Egypt)
- Hammoud Chantout (Syria-France)
- Stéphane Herbert (France)
“Infinity Blue” from the Imaginals Collection by Stéphane Herbert
Our First-Ever Live Exhibition
We co-presented “So Close, Too Far” a live exhibition in Vancouver, B.C., Canada to favourable attendance and critical acclaim in the summer months. Of the Marsoum Art Collective, celebrated calligrapher Mouneer Al-Shaarani, and multi-disciplinary artist Adel Bentounsi were featured.
“So Close, Too Far” was curated by Vancouver-based Iranian artist Hamidreza Jadid, and took place at Monica Reyes Gallery in Strathcona, Vancouver’s long-standing arts and culture hub.
What Does 2020 Hold for The Marsoum Art Collective?
Even More Artists
We plan on onboarding several more artists that can help us paint a different story of the Middle East & North Africa. In fact, we’ve started 2020 strong with a new artist joining the collective.
Eman Haram is an interdisciplinary artist that is dedicated to disrupting the mythical paradigms that frame the world in polarizing, moralistic dichotomies.
Framed Artworks + Easier Returns
You asked, and we listened. We’re excited to announce that 2020 will bring the availability of framed works to the Shop. The best part? Some framed artworks are only $20 more expensive than their unframed counterparts! Expect framed works by Adel Bentounsi, Mouneer Al-Shaarani and Ghadeer Saeed to become available early this year.
We’re also working on a really cool project which will make returns even more painless and transparent.
Renewed Focus on The Journal
We have a couple of new members on the team. What this means for you is that you can expect us to post more frequently on The Marsoum Journal in 2020. We’ll be publishing content that you should find educational, entertaining and enriching.
Here’s to a great year ahead. Thank you for your support in 2019!
Peace,
Abdulah
Written by: Abdulah S Al-Ghoul
Abdulah Al-Ghoul is a digital project manager and strategist with a background in several industries including hospitality, fine arts and marketing.
Abdulah founded the Marsoum Art Collective in 2018.