Future Imperfect: Contemporary Art Practices and Cultural Institutions in the Middle East

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Regional contexts: fragmentary networks and historical antagonisms Filling the gaps: arts infrastructures and institutions in post-dictatorship Libya Hadia Gana Artists and institution building in situ: the case of Morocco Lea Morin In the absence of institutions: contemporary cultural practices in Algeria Yasmine Zidane Social practices and institutional realignments in Tunisia since 2010 Wafa Gabsi Making stories visible: institutions and art histories in Yemen Anahi Alviso-Marino On the ground: cultural institutions in Iraq today Adalet R. Garmiany On the closing of Sada for Iraqi art Rijin Sahakian Designing the future: what does it mean to be building a library in Iraq? AMBS Architects Collective institutions: the case of Palestine Jack Persekian in conversation with Anthony Downey Playing against invisibility: negotiating the institutional politics of cultural production in Palestine / Reema Salha Fadda Informal methods and formal critique: learning from cultural producers Knowledge bound: Ashkal Alwan and alternative arts pedagogy in the Middle East Rachel Dedman Present continuous Christine Tohme in conversation with Rachel Dedman Encountering the counter-institution: from the proto-academy to the Home Workspace Beirut Gregory Sholette A sense of scale: art and cultural practices beyond institutions in Amman Toleen Touq Thinking within and beyond institutions William Wells in conversation with Amal Khalaf and Anthony Downey How much future is left? On speed and withdrawal in a Cairo arts institution Ania Szremski Institutional role-play: The case of Beirut Jens Maier-Rothe Knowledge of struggle: an update on the curatorial concerns and exhibition design for the Abu Jihad Museum for Prisoner Movement Doreen Mende, Baha Jubeh, and Suhair Jubeh Individuals as institutions: a partial cartography Ala Younis Cultural institutions and the political economy of global culture Utopian dust versus perfumed amplification: object lessons from Saadiyat Island and Gehry's Guggenheim, Abu Dhabi Guy Mannes-Abbott Critique as infrastructure: organic growth and the rise of visual arts organizations in the UAE Elizabeth Derderian The global spectacular: modernity and supermodernity in the Arabian Peninsula museums Karen Exell Myth busters Monira Al Qadiri Branching out: the Sharjah Art Foundation Stephanie Bailey Local contexts and global concerns: the case of Sharjah Hoor Al-Qasimi in conversation with Stephanie Bailey and Anthony Downey An institutional retreat: the 13th Istanbul Biennial in the context of Gezi Park Tom Snow Istanbul's artist-run institutions: the case of the PiST/// interdisciplinary project space Eray C̦aylı

Future Imperfect critically examines the role played by cultural institutions in producing present-day and future contexts for the production, dissemination, and reception of contemporary art in the Middle East and North Africa. It offers critical contexts for a discussion that has become increasingly urgent in recent years - the role of culture in a time of conflict and globalization - and an in-depth critique of the historical state of cultural institutions in an age of political upheaval, social unrest, exuberant cultural activity, ascendant neoliberal forms of privatization, social activism, and regional uncertainty. Based on collective input from numerous contributors and interlocutors, this volume brings together internationally renowned academics, critics, activists, filmmakers, artists, and other independent cultural practitioners to consider how new infrastructures and institutions can effectively emerge within such fraught and dynamic contexts.