Mohammed Belaid and Mizo “North African Resonance Algiers – New York”

Mohammed Belaid and Mizo “North African Resonance Algiers – New York”

Umbrella Arts

This event has ended.

Curated by Samia Ait Hellal & Imen Bessah Amrouche

Umbrella Arts is please to host North-African Resonance: Algiers – New York curated by Samia Ait Hellal and Imen Bessah Amrouche, both of WARN Arts, featuring artists Mohammed Belaid, ceramic sculptures, and Mizo, photo-paintings.

This is an exhibition of firsts, of Algerians and of women – the first time Ait Hellal and Bessah Amrouche have ever curated together, the first time Belaid and Mizo have exhibited together and in NYC, and the first production of WARN Arts. All are of Algerian birth with Belaid, Mizo and Bessah Amrouche still living there, while Ait Hellal is based in NYC. Women of Algeria are given a specific place in society which both artists provocatively transform - Belaid portrays the woman captured within himself and Mizo depicts women in all their contemporary diversity.

Mohammed Belaid builds ceramic plates, bowls, vases and other traditional household items that he creatively damages, often inscribed with elegant calligraphy and images of a sophisticated woman. The Kiss is a mash-up of two separate tea pots fusing to become one; a possible metaphor for the artist him/her self. Belaid has exhibited in Algeria, France, Poland and Spain.

Mizo’s unique photo-paintings are constructed through a process of his own creation while the imagery unites the traditional with the contemporary. In many pieces of this new series, Mizo has the woman wear a traditional costume that she is removing making herself free from the restrictive codes of society, culture, and religion. By making a woman the focal point, Mizo challenges not only the reality of Algerian/Muslim society, but that of the world. Earlier this year Mizo had a sold-out solo exhibit in Algeria and has exhibited in Canada, Spain, United Kingdom and the USA.

About WARN Arts: Samia Ait Hellal and Imen Bessah Amrouche founded the organization in 2017 to promote and provide visibility to Algerian culture in the US and internationally. They originally met through a Facebook reading group sharing their mutual love and interest of Algerian culture which sparked their interest in organizing North African Resonance: Algiers – New York.

Media

• Painting
• Sculpture
• Ceramics

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