Art Nomads—Karvanserai کاروانسرای

Preview: 6–8pm Thursday 22nd September
Exhibition continues: Friday 23rd September – Saturday 8th October
Gallery open: 12–6pm, Thursday–Saturday
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Pallas Projects/Studios are pleased to present Art Nomads—Karvanserai کاروانسرای  the fifth exhibition of our 2022 Artist-Initiated Projects programme.

‘Karvanserai’ and forms of this word are recognised in Persian, Arabic, Turkish, Urdu and many cultures across the ancient trading routes of the world. A ‘kārvān’ or caravan is a group of traders, pilgrims or other travellers, engaged in long-distance travel and a ‘sarāy’ is the palace, a building with enclosed courts, a welcome place of rest for the wayfarer.

Art Nomads is a collective whose membership is made up of artists from Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Iran, Kurdistan, Syria, Poland and the UK. Their transcultural exchange and collective art practice is a reflection of them as immigrant artists from different nations, many fleeing from wars, insecurity as well as injustice from their respective nations to a rendezvous in the Republic of Ireland.

Their first show ‘Transhumance: The Nomadic Artist: Part of this Land’ in 2020 formed an energy which brought these artists like birds in migration together. They bonded, they felt they shared a creative space together, unity in diversity became their strength. Working hard together, they have developed a sense of cohesion, like the tail of the Ostrich.

The new work ‘Karvanserai’ a meeting and resting place for migrants from the long and tough journeys of life has come out of their Arts Council funded project ‘Souk/Bazaar’. This participatory process included others from academia, community development, activism and migrant solidarity from China, India, South Africa, USA and Ireland. Together they have produced a multi-screen film and sculptural installation which traces the artists’ journeys from their workshop spaces to the bare windswept landscape of The Burren in County Clare and the comfort of a winter fire. Above the rock platform, the camera like an eagle’s wings has spread far and wide, carried by the wind, hovering in the sky to open an inventive place for this diverse group of people.

The artist makers Muhammad Achour, Antonio D’Souza, Hina Khan, Tomasz Madajczak, Roxana Manouchehri, Joe Odiboh, Rajinder Singh, Amna Walayat and Insaf Yalçinkaya who come from a range of cultural and dispersed global locations are also from a spectrum of art praxis; architecture, painting, movement based art, miniature painting, poetry, sculpture & video installation. They have worked on Karvanserai with Spanish Irish-based filmmaker Helio León, Irish sound artist Mick O Shea and producer Laragh Pittman.
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Event:

Culture Night : Many Voices
Friday 23rd September 4-8pm

Art Nomads, an artists collective made up of artists who have all come to live in Ireland from many parts of the world, present an expanded cinema installation from their ‘Souk/Bazaar’ participatory process. The artists who have roots across many cultures from India, Pakistan Syria, Iran, Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Malaysia, Poland, and Kurdistan have collaborated on a film artwork captured by these words “We came alone across this bare windswept rock, In winter, in rain and low light, The Burren at the far west of Europe, Gathering together from every worldly place, To share life around a glowing fire”. Members of the group will perform short multi-lingual spoken word pieces during the evening and will offer some traditional sweet tastes from around the world.

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Biographies

Art Nomads is a collective of culturally diverse artists living and practicing in Ireland. With very different experiences and heritages as well as art and design specialisms, they each have their own individual practice across a range of media from urban design to miniature painting, video installation and sculpture. As well as staging exhibitions and events, Art Nomads aims to work as a capacity builder and advocate for artistsfrom diverse and minority ethnic backgroundsin Ireland. Early on during the groups formation, members attended the launch of the Equality, Human Rights and Diversity Policy in 2019 and individuals have gone on to be consulted by the Arts Council in its ongoing implementation.
Current members: Muhammad Achour, Antonio D’Souza, Hina Khan, Roxana Manouchehri, Tomasz Madajczak, Joe Odiboh, Rajinder Singh, Amna Walayat & Insaf Yalçinkaya. Artist Laragh Pittman is working as administrator and sometimes curator.

artnomads.ie | @artnomads_ireland