UA News

Art work created by near 50 artists centered on topics related to issues in the Middle East are on display at the UA's Union Gallery.

An exhibition at The University of Arizona's Union Gallery features artists' visual interpretations of the Middle East.

The collection, "Positive Change: Exploring the Middle East," contains two thematic print exhibitions that were designed to explore how the Middle East has informed relations of art.

Representing 60 works by nearly 50 artists, the prints stem from two past exhibitions: "Re-Interpreting the Middle East: Beyond the Historical Stereotype" and "Re-Interpreting the Middle East II: Re-Thinking Today's Terminology."

The first exhibition was shown at Boise State University in 2005 and has since been traveling across the nation. The second exhibition was shown at Virginia Commonwealth University last year, and also has been traveling since.

The artists, who represent a variety of nationalities and backgrounds, "attempt to become active participants in the dissemination of today's visual propaganda and its representation of the Middle East," said Holly Brown, curator of the Union Gallery.

The exhibition will be on display through Feb. 20. The gallery is located on the third floor of the Student Union Memorial Center, 1303 E. University Blvd.

The opening reception will be held Jan. 23 from 5-7 p.m. During the opening, artist and organizer May Hariri Aboutaam will share her experiences in curating the two prior exhibitions.

On her blog, "Re-Interpreting the Middle East," she writes: "As an organizer my potential is to create through this symbolic action in line and in print a behavioral map of a cultural exchange, a storehouse of pooled learning to uncover an interpretative common ground for
cultural and social understanding of each other."

Aboutamm will be among a panel of speakers. Others on the panel include UA assistant professor of art Sama Alshaibi and art professor Andrew Polk, as well as UA student Ozlem Silverstein, who has a piece featured in the show. The discussion will begin at 6 p.m. All events are free and open to the public.