Catalogue published on the occasion the exhibition “Our World Is Burning” presented at the Palais de Tokyo (Paris) in collaboration with Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art (Doha), 21.02 – 13.09 2020.
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This catalogue takes a political view of international contemporary creation seen from the Gulf region, where wars and diplomatic tensions have constantly determined the history of the early 21st century. It features two essays by the curators of the exhibition (Abdellah Karroum and Fabien Danesi), widely illustrated notices on the work of the 34 artists presented, as well as short statements from the artists and other invited contributors (Hamid Dabashi, Ala Younis and Abdallah Zikra) in response to the title of the exhibition “Our World Is Burning.”
The exhibition’s title refers to the human dramas, which the successive conflicts in this region have caused—and still do—but also to the ecological crisis and environmental catastrophes, such as immensely destructive forest fires, from Amazonia to Siberia, without forgetting California and Australia. But fire is not just a statement of danger. It is also a symbol of the powerful democratic impetus experienced in this region since the Arab Springs. The exhibition thus affirms that artworks have the ability to intervene by adopting a position when confronted with the disorders of the world. Fire then refers to the intensity of artistic creation.
With the artworks of Inji Efflatoun, Khalil El Ghrib, Faraj Daham, Shirin Neshat, John Akomfrah, Francis Alÿs, Fabrice Hyber, Tania Bruguera, Mounir Fatmi, Kader Attia, Yto Barrada, Wael Shawky, Katia Kameli, Michael Rakowitz, Amal Kenawy, Otobong Nkanga, Younes Rahmoun, Danh Vō, Amina Menia, Ben Russell, Basim Magdy, Mounira Al Solh, Sammy Baloji, Jane Kin Kaisen, Oriol Vilanova, Mustapha Akrim, Aslı Çavuşoğlu, Monira Al Qadiri, Sophia Al Maria, Dominique Hurth, Bady Dalloul, Sara Ouhaddou, Bouthayna Al Muftah and Raqs Media Collective.