Browsing by Author "Abaalkhail, Safiyah"

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Exploring decolonisation, alternative spaces, and global cultural collaboration in the MENA region.
(Royal College of Art, 2024-07-29) Abaalkhail, Safiyah; Joshua, Leon; Gerrie, van Noord
My curatorial practice is committed to decolonisation, the exploration of alternative spaces, and the promotion of global cultural collaboration. Influenced by collectives such as Raqs Media Collective and The Otolith Group, my approach challenges colonial legacies through immersive and inclusive storytelling by drawing inspiration from texts including ‘The Metabolic Museum’ by Clementine Deliss and ‘Decolonising Museums’ by L'Internationale Online to guide my exploration of art spaces and the ideologies they preserve. My approach is to transcend the physicality of space through innovative thinking that challenges Eurocentric norms in today’s art world, transforming traditional spaces into environments that engage diverse cultural backgrounds. For instance, Raqs Media Collective’s ‘With Respect to Residue’ exemplifies community-centred spaces that prioritise inclusivity and dialogue, while The Otolith Group’s use of film and multimedia in the ‘Xenogenesis’ exhibition introduces explorations of narrative and future potential. The history, culture, and artistic expression of the Middle East and North African (MENA) region, which I believe embodies decolonisation, is central to this approach. L'Appartement 22 in Morocco engages in practices that stimulate dialogue and resistance. Hayaty Dairies, an art collective, elevates Arab women artists, challenging perceptions and highlighting how societal and cultural contexts shape the reception of art. K-oh-llective in Egypt facilitate a deeper understanding of local art practices, encourage community engagement, and promote a dialogue transcending geographical and cultural barriers. Through my focus on such work, I strive to curate not merely exhibitions but catalysts for societal transformation, challenges to traditional curatorial methods, and active processes that reshape and rethink colonial histories. Through curation, I seek to nurture hubs for dialogue and social change, advocating for inclusive curatorial practices that transform and engage audiences in a participatory process to involve them deeply in ongoing discourses about what it means to decolonise, to resist, and to assert one’s own individual and collective identity.
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