Cover photos (left to right): Parissa, courtesy of Jack Vartoogian/FrontRowPhotos; Youssou N’Dour, by Youri Lenquette; Dastangoi, by Abhinandita Mathur; Shirin Neshat, by Lina Bertucci
MuslimVoicesFestival.org
Peter Jay Sharp Building 30 Lafayette Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11217—1486
BAM
June 5—14
NEW YORK CITY
MUSIC Youssou N’Dour international/Senegal/us Sufi Music Ensembles France/Morocco/syria Parissa: An Evening of Persian Classical Music Iran Kamilya Jubran: The Maqam and Beyond Palestine Muslim Voices at BAMcafé US Qawwali Gospel Creation Pakistan/US
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MUSIC & FILM Youssou N’Dour + I Bring What I Love
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egypt/france/Senegal/US
THEATER
June 5—14
Dastangoi: The Adventures of Amir Hamza India Richard III: An Arab Tragedy Kuwait
DANCE THEATER Sardono Dance Theater: Diponegoro Indonesia
In celebration of the extraordinary range of artistic expression in the Muslim world, Asia Society, BAM, and New York University Center for Dialogues proudly present Muslim Voices: Arts & Ideas. Muslim artists and speakers from as far away as Asia, Africa, and the Middle East and as near as Brooklyn will gather for an unprecedented ten-day festival and conference. Through performances, films, exhibitions, talks, and other events—ranging from the traditional (calligraphy, storytelling, and Sufi chanting) to the contemporary (video installations and Arabic hip-hop)—the festival offers New York audiences the opportunity to experience the cultural diversity and multiple perspectives that represent the Muslim world.
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FILM Making Of Tunisia Love for Share Indonesia Grand Voyage Morocco Land for a Stranger Syria Takva—A Man’s Fear of God Turkey Satin Rouge France/Tunisia Leila Iran Heart of Jenin germany/Israel/Palestine Destiny Egypt The Frontier Gandhi: Badshah Khan, A Torch For Peace Afghanistan/India/Pakistan/US
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IMAX Journey to Mecca Canada/morocco/saudi arabia/US
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wNET.org Muslim Voices on channel THIRTEEN international/US
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VISUAL ART New York Masjid: The Mosques of New York City US Sight Unseen: Video from Afghanistan and Iran Afghanistan/Iran
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MARKETPLACE Souk international/US
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POETRY Chaikhana/Tea House International/us
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LECTURES/TALKS Shirin Neshat: The House is Black Iran/US Reza Aslan Iran/US
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CONFERENCE
Presenters:
Bridging the Divide between the United States and the Muslim World through Arts and Ideas: Possibilities and Limitations International/us
MORE EVENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS CALENDAR TICKET & VENUE INFO
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Photo: Youri Lenquette
Youssou N’Dour with I Bring What I Love NY Premiere! Egypt/France/Senegal/US I Bring What I Love Directed by Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi 2008, 102min In Arabic, English, French, and Wolof with English subtitles Followed by a brief appearance by Youssou N’Dour and his band The Super Etoile Sat, Jun 6 at 8pm BAM Howard Gilman Opera House $20, 30, 40 Muslim Voices presents the New York premiere in BAM’s Opera House of I Bring What I Love. This film is a remarkable portrait of Youssou N’Dour and the making of his Grammy Award-winning album Egypt—his extraordinary testament to his Muslim faith and an impassioned plea for a more tolerant view of Islam. Directed by Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, this film profiles N’Dour with candid insight while providing a timely look at the complex place of music in Islam. I Bring What I Love received the Special Jury Prize at the 2008 Middle East International Film Festival.
Youssou N’Dour
international/Senegal/us
Fri, Jun 5 at 8pm BAM Howard Gilman Opera House $25, 45, 55 An undisputed giant of world music, Senegalese artist and humanitarian Youssou N’Dour has raised Senegal’s exuberant mbalax style to global stature. Introduced to American audiences on seminal albums such as Paul Simon’s Graceland and Peter Gabriel’s So, N’Dour continues to influence virtually every realm of the international music scene, riding high on tumbling African rhythms and stratospheric vocals. On June 5, N’Dour kicks off Muslim Voices: Arts & Ideas with a concert on BAM’s Opera House stage, performing songs with his band The Super Etoile that draw on his Islamic beliefs, African heritage, and global experiences. The evening will begin with a traditional invocation by three vocalists. N’Dour’s performance is also preceded by a short commissioned suite by Iraqi-American composer/musician Amir El Saffar, performed by a pan-Islamic ensemble. The ensemble will include Marina Alam, Dena El Saffar, and Dhafer Tawil, among others. 2
Photo: courtesy of Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi
The screening will be followed by a brief concert appearance by Youssou N’Dour and his band The Super Etoile.
Photo: Parissa, courtesy of Jack Vartoogian/FrontRowPhotos
France/Morocco/syria
Aissawa Ensemble Al Taybah Ensemble Sat, Jun 6 at 8pm BAM Harvey Theater $20, 30, 35 A vibrant musical tradition based on the mystical branch of Islam, Sufi music seeks states of transcendence as a way of connecting with God. On June 6, Muslim Voices presents a unique pairing of two all-male groups, the Aissawa and Al Taybah Ensembles, who take the stage for an evening of entrancing and enlightening Sufi music.
Parissa: An Evening of Persian Classical Music Iran Thu & Fri, Jun 11 & 12 at 7:30pm Lila Acheson Wallace Auditorium Asia Society $25, 35 With a voice “at once refined and deeply emotional” (The Planet, Australia), renowned classical Iranian vocalist Parissa sings the words of poet Rumi accompanied by two instrumentalists on tar (traditional plucked lute) and daf (frame drum). Parissa’s perfection lies in the simplicity with which she interprets the 13th century poet’s works, reaching into the heart to bring the beauty of Rumi’s words alive.
Photo: Al Taybah Ensemble, by Le Diwan
Established in the holy city of Fes, the Aissawa Ensemble, one of Morocco’s most accomplished and thrilling Sufi ensembles, enchants audiences with syncopated rhythms on traditional tabls and bendirs and gloriously dissonant trumpets. Based in Avignon, the Al Taybah Ensemble represents the growing community of Muslim converts in France, whose varied influences enrich their musical language. A guest calligrapher and two whirling dervishes add to the performance as members of this ensemble raise their voices together in melodious chants.
Ethnomusicologist Stephen Blum and Ameneh Youssefzadeh provide a thoughtful overview of Persian music in a pre-performance lecture on both nights at 6pm.
Kamilya Jubran: The Maqam and Beyond Palestine Thu & Fri, Jun 11 & 12 at 9:30pm Lila Acheson Wallace Auditorium Asia Society $25, 35
Photo: Kamilya Jubran, by Antoine Gersland
Sufi Music Ensembles
In Arabic classical music, a maqam, like an Indian raga or Western classical musical mode, shapes the melodic development of compositions. One extraordinary female vocalist, Kamilya Jubran, who is rooted in this classical tradition, infuses its ancient power with a contemporary interpretation. Singing modern poetry from Palestine, Iraq, and beyond, she gives voice to a passionate and personal program that explores the idea of “place” in shaping the stages of life.
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Photo: Brahim Fribgane, courtesy of the artist
Qawwali Gospel Creation
Pakistan/US
Faiz Ali Faiz & His Ensemble Craig Adams and the Voices of New Orleans Sat, Jun 13 at 8pm BAM Harvey Theater $20, 30, 35
Muslim Voices at BAMcafé
Photo: Faiz Ali Faiz, by Franck Vorgers
Photo: Craig Adams, by G. Duprere
With its pulsing drums and harmoniums, ecstatic incantations, and euphoric choral refrains, nothing induces a state of spiritual intoxication quite like Qawwali, a 700-year-old tradition of hypnotic Sufi praise music. Qawwali Gospel Creation unites one of the genre’s revered torchbearers, Pakistani singer Faiz Ali Faiz and his ensemble, with African American gospel music—a tradition equally steeped in cathartic song—in a joint evening with renowned pianist/singer Craig Adams and the Voices of New Orleans, raising the spirit in ecstasy.
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Brahim Fribgane with zerobridge Fri, Jun 12 at 9:30pm Adam Matta & Friends Sat, Jun 13 at 9:30pm BAMcafé Free BAMcafé celebrates Muslim Voices with a weekend of free concerts featuring New York-based Muslim artists engaged in both traditional and innovative approaches. On Friday, alternative band zerobridge, named for the famous Kashmir bridge, opens for in-demand oud rocker Brahim Fribgane who performs with percussionist Adam Rudolf. On Saturday, composer/producer Adam Matta brings a night of hip-hop with his friends Dr. Fawzia Afzal-Khan (spoken word/voice), Nihan Devecioglu (voice), Noah Hoffeld (cello), Remi Kanazi (spoken word), Eyal Maoz (guitar), and Kenny Muhammad The Human Orchestra (beatbox).
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Photo: Abhinandita Mathur
Richard III: An Arab Tragedy
Kuwait
Sulayman Al-Bassam Theatre (Kuwait) Adapted and directed by Sulayman Al-Bassam Tue—Fri, Jun 9—12 at 7:30pm BAM Harvey Theater $25, 35, 45 In Arabic with English titles In an oil-rich kingdom, a dictator’s bloody rise to power becomes an allegory of our own times in Richard III: An Arab Tragedy, Kuwaiti director Sulayman Al-Bassam’s groundbreaking remake of Shakespeare’s Machiavellian masterpiece. Grainy TV confessions, sophisticated propaganda, and a wealth of Arabic music and ritual lend themes of leadership, religion, and foreign intervention an uncanny relevance, turning this classic play into a cautionary contemporary tale. Following the June 11 performance, director Sulayman Al-Bassam will discuss his company’s adaptation of Richard III. Find out how he came to re-imagine Shakespeare’s 16th century tale of power and corruption in a 21st-century Arab context. Al-Bassam will be joined by Margaret Litvin, a specialist in modern Arabic drama and political culture from Boston University. Free for ticket holders.
Photo: Ellie Kurtz
This work was commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company as part of the Complete Works Festival.
Dastangoi: The Adventures of Amir Hamza India Sun & Mon, Jun 7 & 8 at 7:30pm Lila Acheson Wallace Auditorium Asia Society $22, 30 In Urdu with English subtitles Magic, sorcery, warriors, and tricksters come together in the vividly told stories of Dastangoi: The Adventures of Amir Hamza as the trials and triumphs of the Prophet Muhammad’s uncle Amir Hamza are rendered. Eminent film actor Naseeruddin Shah along with Mahmood Farooqi and Daanish Hussain perform, creating a fascinating tableau through a combination of poetry and acting. Hailed by critics as “an enthralling revival of a dying tradition” (Dawn Magazine), dastangoi is a rich form of traditional, dramatized Urdu storytelling that dates back to medieval Iran (Persia) that has recently regained critical acclaim due to the work of distinguished scholar Mahmood Farooqi. 8
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Photo: Making Of, courtesy of C.T.V. Services
Photo: Jack Vartoogian/FrontRowPhotos
Making Of (Akher film) Directed by Nouri Bouzid With Lotfi Ebdelli 2006, 120min Mon, Jun 8 at 4:30, 6:50, 9:15pm BAM Rose Cinemas $11
Tunisia
Twenty-five-year-old Bahta leads a group of break dancers in Tunisia, but when the Iraq War breaks out in 2003, he falls in with a group of militants who try to take him down a destructive path. Making Of won awards for best actor and screenplay at the Tribeca Film Festival.
Sardono Dance Theater: Diponegoro Indonesia Sardono Dance Theater Sat, Jun 13 at 7:30pm Sun, Jun 14 at 3pm Lila Acheson Wallace Auditorium Asia Society $25, 35 “An explosive mixture of formal Javanese dance and wild movement� (The New York Times), Diponegoro is a dance theater work depicting the 19th century Javanese prince and Muslim mystic who led a rebellion against the Dutch in the 1820s. Created by renowned director/choreographer Sardono Kusumo and featuring a cast of eight Indonesian dancers and musicians, Diponegoro bridges traditional and contemporary dance to create a work of astounding originality that explores the nobility and conflict of this national hero. Free pre-performance lecture on June 13 at 6pm and June 14 at 1:30pm.
Photo: Love for Share, courtesy of Kalyana Shira Film
In Arabic with English subtitles
Love for Share (Berbagi Suami) Directed by Nia Dinata With Shanty 2006, 119min Tue, Jun 9 at 4:30, 6:50, 9:15pm BAM Rose Cinemas $11 In Bahasa Indonesian with English subtitles
Indonesia
Up-and-coming director Nia Dinata addresses the tradition and injustices of polygamy in Indonesia today. By interweaving the stories of three very different women, each of whom has developed her own personal response to the practice, Dinata creates a compelling and sometimes humorous portrait of a complex social practice.
Grand Voyage
Takva—A Man’s Fear of God
Morocco
Mustapha, an elderly Moroccan who has lived in France for Directed by Ismaël Ferroukhi With Nicolas Cazalé, Mohamed Majd many years, decides that it is finally time for him to make the pilgrimage to Mecca, accompanied by his youngest 2004, 108min son, whose habits couldn’t be further from the traditional Wed, Jun 10 at 4:30, 6:50, 9:15pm ones of his father. As they make the long trip—across no BAM Rose Cinemas fewer than seven countries—the two clash as well as gain $11 unexpected insights on one another and Islam in this offbeat road movie. In French and Arabic with
Fri, Jun 12 at 2, 6:50pm BAM Rose Cinemas $11 In Turkish with English subtitles
The basic goodness of Muharrem, a 45-year-old single man living in Istanbul, earns him new duties with the leader of the religious group he serves so selflessly. But he soon gets involved in the sect’s hidden agenda, as traditional and modern aspects of Islam collide in this exploration of the temptations and struggles of a man trying to live by ancient religious precepts in an increasingly globalized world.
Photo: Grand Voyage, courtesy of Film Movement
Photo: Takva, courtesy of Rif Film
English subtitles
Directed by Özer Kiziltan With Erkan Can 2006, 97min
Turkey
Land for a Stranger (Turab al-Ghuraba’) Directed by Samir Zikra With Bassam Kousa 1998, 150min Thu, Jun 11 at 7pm BAM Rose Cinemas $11 In Arabic with English subtitles 12
Syria
Land for a Stranger is a masterful depiction of the twilight years of Abdel-Rahman al-Kawakibi (1852—1902), an important intellectual in the late Ottoman world and author of Characteristics of Tyranny, an outspoken critique of the emerging fundamentalism of his time. Exiled in his day for his calls for democratic and egalitarian political reforms, his work is now considered among the cornerstones of modern Arab political and philosophical writing.
Satin Rouge
France/Tunisia
Directed by Raja Amari With Hiam Abbass 2002, 100min Fri, Jun 12 at 4:30, 9:15pm BAM Rose Cinemas $11 In Arabic and French with English subtitles
Lilia is a widowed seamstress who, after a visit to her daughter’s belly-dancing class, is unexpectedly introduced to a new world in which she rediscovers herself. Preceded by the short film If I Wasn’t Muslim (Bosnia, Dir. Damir Nikšic, 2004, 6min) about a Bosnian man who sings a humorous song about being the only Muslim in a predominantly Christian country.
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Photo: Destiny, courtesy of Pyramide Distribution
Photo: Leila, courtesy of First-Run Features
Leila
Destiny (al-Massir)
Iran
Directed by Dariush Mehrjui With Leila Hatami, Ali Mosaffa 1996, 102min Sat, Jun 13 at 6pm BAM Rose Cinemas $11
This key work by one of Iran’s leading directors is a gripping portrayal of the conflict between modernity and tradition in Iran. Leila and Reza are happy young newlyweds who seem to have everything. But when the bride learns she is infertile, her mother-in-law begins an all-out campaign to convince her that Reza should take a second wife, as permitted by Islamic law.
In Arabic with English subtitles
Directed by Youssef Chahine With Nour El-Sharif, Laila Eloui 1997, 135min Sun, Jun 14 at 2, 8pm BAM Rose Cinemas $11
Destiny relates the life story of Averroës, the 12th century Andalusian philosopher best-known for his commentaries on Aristotle and for his insistence that reason and faith are not incompatible. Youssef Chahine, one of Egypt’s greatest and most iconoclastic filmmakers, brings Averroës’ story to life in this complex and exuberantly contradictory film, punctuated by extravagant musical numbers. Also, BAMcinématek presents the film retrospective Tribute to Youssef Chahine, May 29—June 7.
Photo: The Frontier Ghandi, courtesy of Peace on Earth Productions
Photo: Heart of Jenin, courtesy of Eikon Media
In French and Arabic with English subtitles
Egypt
Heart of Jenin (Das Herz von Jenin) Germany/Israel/Palestine Directed by Leon Geller and Marcus Vetter 2008, 89min Sat, Jun 13 at 3, 9pm BAM Rose Cinemas $11 In Arabic, Hebrew, and English with English subtitles 14
After Ahmed Khatib, a twelve-year-old Palestinian boy, was accidentally shot and killed by an Israeli soldier, his parents decided to donate as many of his organs as possible to Israeli children in need, including an Orthodox Jew, a Bedouin, and a Druze. This deeply moving documentary charts the emotional journeys taken by the boy’s parents and the Israeli children who are alive today because of their extraordinary gift.
The Frontier Gandhi: Badshah Khan, A Torch For Peace Afghanistan/India/Pakistan/us Directed by T.C. McLuhan 2008, 92min Sun, Jun 14 at 5pm BAM Rose Cinemas $11 In English, Urdu, Dari, Pashto, and Hindi with English subtitles
This dramatic documentary tells the extraordinary tale of Muslim peacemaker Badshah Khan—born into Pashtun warrior society—who managed to raise a nonviolent army of 100,000 men, women, and youngsters as he struggled for India’s independence alongside Gandhi. Shot in India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, this eye-opening film includes rare historical footage, remarkably candid interviews from world leaders, and a score by world music pioneer David Amram. This film is a co-production of the US and Canada. 15
In English
Five days a year, 3 million Muslims pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca—fulfilling the fifth pillar of Islam known as the Hajj. Shot in breathtaking IMAX, Journey to Mecca is the extraordinary adventure story of a young man named Ibn Battuta and his epic and perilous journey in 1325 from Morocco to the sacred city. As the camera soars over vast Sahara sands, alongside caravans stretching to the horizon, and enters the Grand Mosque itself, viewers are able to witness the spectacular pageant of devotion and one of the longest running gatherings of people on earth.
Edward Grazda’s documentary project New York Masjid: The Mosques of New York City, published as a book of the same title, presents a different look at the New York Muslim community in recent times. Through an exploration of the various spaces in which Muslims assemble to worship throughout the boroughs, Grazda’s photography reveals a unique perspective on an emerging cultural identity that is both American and Muslim.
WNET.org INTERNATIONAL/US Tune in to THIRTEEN for a rich array of programming presented in conjunction with Muslim Voices: Arts & Ideas. Visit thirteen.org/muslimvoices for a complete schedule and also watch SundayArts (Sundays at noon on THIRTEEN) for festival news and highlights. Highlights Reel 13 Indies: Confessions of a Gambler Sat, Jun 13 at 10:55pm Wide Angle: Dishing Democracy* Mon, Jun 8 at 10pm America at the Crossroads: Stand-Up: Muslim American Comics Come of Age* Wed, Jun 10 at 10pm Wide Angle: Class of 2006* Fri, Jun 12 at 10pm On a Wing and a Prayer: An American Muslim Learns to Fly* Sun, Jun 14 at 11:30pm *Check thirteen.org for late night repeats
Photo: Rahraw Omarzad. The Third One, 2005. Single channel video, sound. Courtesy of the artist
Wed, Jun 10 at 7pm LeFrak Theater American Museum of Natural History $13.50, 17
Photo: Edward Grazda
Photo courtesy of SK Films
Directed by Bruce Neibaur Narrated by Ben Kingsley 2009, 45min
New York Masjid: The Mosques of New York City US Jun 5—14 Natman Room, BAM Free
Co-presented by BAM and the American Museum of Natural History
Photo: On the set of Kalam Nawaem (Sweet Talk) from Dishing Democracy, by Kalam Nawaem
.org
Journey to Mecca: In the Footsteps of Ibn Battuta Canada/Morocco/Saudi Arabia/US
Sight Unseen: Video from Afghanistan and Iran Afghanistan/Iran Jun 9—Sep 13 Tue—Sun, 11am—6pm; with extended hours Fri until 9pm Asia Society Museum $5, 7, 10 Showcasing video works by Afghan artist Rahraw Omarzad and Iranian artist Seifollah Samadian, this exhibition explores new artistic media and expression coming out of the Muslim world. Omarzad played a key role in the establishment of the Center for Contemporary Art Afghanistan (CCAA). He is one of Afghanistan’s first avant-garde video artists and is a key figure in the young Kabul art scene. Samadian, a highly regarded cinematographer, art director, and photographer, has worked with directors such as Martin Scorsese and Abbas Kiarostami, and came to the forefront of contemporary Iranian video art with his evocative work during the Iran-Iraq war.
Iran/US
Souk
international/uS
Sat, Jun 6, 12—10pm Sun, Jun 7, 12—8pm Rain or shine BAM (at Lafayette Ave and Ashland Pl) Free admission
Iranian-American filmmaker Shirin Neshat presents a rare screening of Forough Farrokhzad’s landmark short film The House is Black (1962). Proclaimed by director Mohsen Makhmalbaf as “the best Iranian film,” it is regarded by many to have ushered in the New Wave in Iranian cinema and has inspired Neshat’s own work. In this unsparing document of human suffering, Farrokhzad’s haunting narration weaves lyrical fragments of her own poetry, the Qur’an, and the Old Testament. Neshat will also present excerpts of her films. She will be joined in conversation with Ahmad Karimi-Hakkak, professor and founding director of the Center for Persian Studies at the University of Maryland.
Photo: Shirin Neshat, by Lina Bertucci
Photo: Cristian Popescu
Mon, Jun 8 at 7pm BAMcafé $10
Reza Aslan in Conversation with Vishakha Desai
On June 6 & 7, the area surrounding BAM will be transformed into a vibrant souk, or open-air market, featuring food, arts, and crafts from diverse Muslim cultures. The market will also include craft demonstrations, hands-on workshops, exhibits, and outdoor performances by local Muslim artists and artisans. Music presented in partnership with Brooklyn Arts Council.
Iran/US
Chaikhana/Tea House International/us Wed, Jun 10 at 7:30pm Rose Conference Hall Asia Society $10, 15 Revered throughout history, poetry and prose hold an essential place in Muslim cultures. Innovative prose is celebrated today as it was in the past, with a cup of tea in hand and an ear to the nuanced sound of the word. Historically recited, sung, and discussed in tea houses, royal courts, and drawing rooms, storytelling and recitation are still enjoyed in contemporary salons. Asia Society embraces the tea house experience, with an opportunity to hear poems and stories on topics ranging from mystical love to social satire and commentary.
Acclaimed author Reza Aslan (No god but God, How to Win a Cosmic War) discusses Islam today in the context of history, faith, ideology, and culture with Asia Society president Vishakha Desai. Together they explore historic patterns of interaction between the Muslim world and the United States and the potential to build new and more meaningful relationships, particularly for the next generation.
Photo: Reza Aslan, by Hillary Jones
Tue, Jun 9 at 6:30pm Lila Acheson Wallace Auditorium Asia Society $10, 15
Photo: Kevin Lee/Getty Images
Marketplace
Shirin Neshat: The House is Black
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Bridging the Divide Between the United States and the Muslim World through Arts and Ideas: Possibilities and Limitations International/us Fri—Sun, Jun 5—7 Brooklyn Marriott While this conference is not a public event, the opening session on June 6 at 9am will be open to the general public by RSVP via email at info@centerfordialogues.org. Transcripts and/or recordings of the remainder of the conference will be made available at MuslimVoicesFestival.org.
NYU Center for Dialogues presents Bridging the Divide between the United States and the Muslim World through Arts and Ideas: Possibilities and Limitations, an academic, cultural, and policy conference that will bring together approximately 50 artists, producers, religious and community leaders, scholars, and policy makers from the Muslim world, the United States, and Europe. Participants will discuss three broad themes: “The World of the Artist,” which examines artists’ place in the Muslim world and their access to audiences and venues; “Art and Social Commentary,” which considers art’s power to transform as well as to critique; and “Cultural Exchange,” which investigates how to harness cultural capital through cultural exchanges and suggests new arenas for cultural diplomacy. The conference will blend performance, panelist presentations, and group discussions to spark conversations about how the rich expressive arts of Muslim cultures might re-invigorate United States relations with the Muslim world.
Participants include: Sami Angawi, world-renowned Saudi Arabian architect who holds a doctorate in Islamic architecture from London’s School of Oriental and African Studies. Since 1988, he has been director of Jeddah’s Amar Center for Architectural Heritage. His current projects include the Islamic Society of Boston’s Cultural Center. Nashwa Alruwaini, CEO of Pyramedia production company and former executive director of Abu Dhabi’s Middle East International Film Festival. She hosts Dubai TV’s weekly talk show Nashwa and produces the hit Arabic-language competition program The Million’s Poet. Tahar ben Jelloun, Moroccan writer, winner of the Prix Goncourt and other awards. His novels, which include Children of Sand and This Blinding Absence of Light, deal with post-colonial unease, racism, and other social issues. In 2008, he was named Officer of France’s Légion d’Honneur. Kenizé Mourad, French writer and great-granddaughter of the last Ottoman sultan, whose most well-known novel, Regards from the Dead Princess, traced her mother’s life as an exile in Beirut and an Indian rajah’s wife. The novel has been translated into 23 languages and has sold millions of copies. Zarqa Nawaz, Canadian filmmaker and creator of the hit sitcom Little Mosque on the Prairie, which follows the adventures of a Muslim congregation living in rural Canada. Nawaz is CEO of FUNdamentalist Films and producer of the 2005 documentary Me and the Mosque. Farhan Nizami, founding director of Oxford University’s Center for Islamic Studies and Prince of Wales Fellow in the Study of the Islamic World. Dr. Nizami is founder and editor of the Journal of Islamic Studies and a Commander of the British Empire. Photos (top, left to right): Sami Angawi by Ammar Angawi , Nashwa Alruwaini by Pyramedia, Tahar ben Jalloun by C. Hlie Gallimard; (bottom, left to right) Kenizé Mourad courtesy of the subject, Zarqa Nawaz courtesy of the subject, Farhan Nizami courtesy of the subject
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Partner Events
Associate Partners
The Seen and the Hidden: (Dis)covering the Veil
by Sufism’s literal and figurative focus on light, underscored by the
Austrian Cultural Forum May 21—Aug 29 acfny.org / 212.319.5300 This trans-cultural exhibition explores the questions and tensions surrounding the Muslim practice of veiling through the eyes of contemporary artists from the Middle East, Europe, and New York.
Perspectives: Women, Art & Islam
Masterpieces of Islamic Calligraphy from The Metropolitan Museum of Art The Metropolitan Museum of Art Jun 2—Sep 1 metmuseum.org / 212.535.7710 Sumptuous masterpieces of calligraphy in a range of media spanning the 8th to the 19th century, from Spain to south Asia and beyond, will be on view to demonstrate the impact and importance of this most quintessential of Islamic art forms.
Light of the Sufis: The Mystical Arts of Islam Brooklyn Museum Jun 5—Sep 6 brooklynmuseum.org / 718.638.5000 This exhibition will feature precious objects by artists from the medieval Islamic period through the present day that are inspired
poetry of celebrated mystics such as Jalal al-Din Rumi.
MoCADA (Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts) & Museum for African Art Jun 4—Sep 13 mocada.org / 718.230.0492 MoCADA, in collaboration with the Museum for African Art, presents an exhibition that spans three continents and the mediums of video, photography, and installation to challenge preconceived notions of what it means to be a Muslim, a woman, and a visual artist whose work is influenced by Islam.
Islam in Europe Insult: Fractured States? The New York Public Library Jun 9—11 nypl.org/live / 212.930.0855 LIVE from the NYPL, in collaboration with the European Union National Institutes for Culture presents this series of debates, discussions, and conversations gathering prominent, multidisciplinary speakers from around the world to explore how the power of insult ignites, engages, and launches both positive and negative action that shapes society.
American Museum of Natural History Austrian Cultural Forum Brooklyn Arts Council Brooklyn Museum The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Museum for African Art Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts (MoCADA) The New York Public Library European Union National Institutes for Culture (EUNIC)
Media Partners Funders Major support is provided by: Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art
Additional support is provided by: Carnegie Corporation of New York The Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation The Pluralism Fund
Rockefeller Brothers Fund
The Reed Foundation
The Rockefeller Foundation’s New York City Cultural Innovation Fund
Citi Foundation
New York Community Trust New York State Council on the Arts PARSA Community Foundation Zain Anonymous Cosmic Picture Hazen Polsky Foundation
Lisina M. Hoch
Youssou N’Dour and Muslim Voices film series are part of
Robert Sterling Clark Foundation
Blanchette Hooker Rockefeller Fund
The Ford Foundation
Asian Cultural Council
presented by:
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
Kite Foundation
Diverse Voices at BAM
ArteEast Amita and Purnendu Chatterjee
Paint the Town Green In celebration of Muslim Voices: Arts & Ideas, the Empire State Building and Brooklyn Borough Hall will be lit green from June 5—7. The color green has many significant associations in Islam and is considered auspicious.
School Audiences BAM Education presents the film I Love Hip Hop in Morocco for school groups (recommended for grades 10—12) on Thursday, May 28 at 10:30am at BAM Rose Cinemas. In this documentary, a determined group of Moroccan hip-hop hopefuls band together to create their country’s first hip-hop festival, a celebration of music, unity, and free speech. This film provides an illuminating perspective on a Muslim culture, exploring both the similarities and differences between Moroccan and American youth. Tickets are $6 per student and include a pre-show preparation workshop for every class attending, a teacher’s study guide, and a post-performance discussion with the film’s co-director Joshua Asen. In addition, BAM Education is offering in-school Islamic calligraphy workshops and lecture demonstrations this spring for grades 6—12. For more information, please contact BAM Education at 718-636-4130 x 1. 22
Special thanks to The New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge. The BAM facilities are owned by the City of New York and benefit from public funds provided through the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs with support from Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg; Cultural Affairs Commissioner Kate D. Levin; the New York City Council including Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn, Cultural Affairs Committee Chair Domenic M. Recchia, Jr., the Brooklyn Delegation of the Council, and Councilwoman Letitia James; and Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz.
Honorary Committee Nassir Abdulaziz Al Nasser, Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations Abdullah M. Alsaidi, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Yemen to the United Nations Mohamed Arkoun, Emeritus Professor, Sorbonne University (Algeria-France) Margaret Ayers, President, Robert Sterling Clark Foundation Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Prime Minister, Malaysia Alison Bernstein, Vice President for Knowledge, Creativity and Freedom, The Ford Foundation Habib Bourguiba Jr., former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tunisia Reisu-I-Ulama Mustapha Ceric, Grand Mufti of Bosnia-Herzegovina The Trustees of The Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation
Giadella A. B. Ettalhi, Permanent Representative of the Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamhuriya to the United Nations Kirsten Gillibrand, Senator, New York Jennifer P. Goodale, Executive Director, Asian Cultural Council Stephen Heintz, President, Rockefeller Brothers Fund Edward P. Henry, President, Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art Saad Eddin Ibrahim, Director, Ibn Khaldun Center, Egypt Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, Secretary General, Organization of the Islamic Conference (Turkey) Franciscus Antonius Maria Majoor, Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the United Nations
Ingrid Mattson, Director, Macdonald Center for Islamic Studies and Christian-Muslim Relations, Hartford Seminary; President, Islamic Society of North America Thomas Matussek, Permanent Representative of Germany to the United Nations Thomas Mayr-Harting, Permanent Representative of Austria to the United Nations Seyyed Hossein Nasr, Professor of Religion, George Washington University Farhan Nizami, Director, Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies Her Majesty Queen Noor Thoraya Obaid, United Nations Under-Secretary General (Saudi Arabia) Don Randel, President, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Iqbal Riza, Special Advisor to the United Nations Secretary General (Pakistan)
Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and Chairman, Realizing Rights: The Ethical Globalization Initiative John D. Rockefeller IV, Senator, West Virginia Judith Rodin, President, Rockefeller Foundation Rabbi David Rosen, President, International Jewish Committee for Interreligious Relations (US) Jane Gregory Rubin, Secretary, The Reed Foundation Nawaf A. Salam, Permanent Representative of Lebanon to the United Nations Jorge Sampaio, former President of Portugal, High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations Charles Schumer, Senator, New York John Sexton, President, New York University Nancye B. Starnes, President, Kite Foundation
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Calendar date/time Event
Ticket & Venue Info Country Association Genre venue tickets
Fri, Jun 5 8pm
Youssou N’Dour pg 2
New York Masjid opens pg 17
International/Senegal/US
Music
BAM
$25—55
US
Visual Art
BAM
Free
Sat, Jun 6 12—10pm
Souk pg 18
International/US
Marketplace
BAM
Free
8pm
Sufi Music Ensembles pg 4
France/Morocco/Syria
Music
BAM
$20—35
Youssou N’Dour + I Bring What I Love pg 3
Egypt/France/Senegal/US
12—8pm
Souk pg 18
International/US
Marketplace
BAM
Free
7:30pm
Dastangoi pg 8
India
Theater
Asia Society
$22—30
4:30, 6:50, 9:15pm Making Of pg 11
Tunisia
Film
BAM
$11
7pm
Shirin Neshat pg 19
Iran/US
Lecture/Talk
BAM
$10
7:30pm
Dastangoi pg 8
India
Theater
Asia Society
$22—30
8pm
Music/Film
BAM
$20—40
Sun, Jun 7
Mon, Jun 8
Asia Society Online: asiasociety.org Phone: 212.517.ASIA Box office: Tue—Sun: 11am—6pm, with extended hours Fri until 9pm Lila Acheson Wallace Auditorium, Asia Society Museum, Rose Conference Hall 725 Park Ave (at 70th St), New York, NY 10021 6 to 68th St/Hunter College, F to 63rd St/Lexington Ave
BAM Live performances/talks
Online: BAM.org Phone: 718.636.4100; Mon—Fri: 10am—6pm; Sat: 12noon—6pm Box office: Mon—Sat: 12noon—6pm Films
Tue, Jun 9 4:30, 6:50, 9:15pm Love for Share pg 11
Indonesia
Film
BAM
$11
Online: BAM.org Phone: 718.777.FILM (order by name of movie; on day of screening use theater express code 545).
6:30pm
Reza Aslan pg 19
Iran/US
Lecture/Talk
Asia Society
$10—15
Box Office: Opens half an hour prior to the first screening of the day
7:30pm
Richard III: An Arab Tragedy pg 9
Kuwait
Theater
BAM
$25—45
Sight Unseen opens pg 17
Afghanistan/Iran
Visual Art
Asia Society
$5—10
Wed, Jun 10 4:30, 6:50, 9:15pm Grand Voyage pg 12
Morocco
7pm
Journey to Mecca pg 16
Canada/Morocco/Saudi Arabia/US IMAX
BAM
$11
AMNH
7:30pm
Richard III: An Arab Tragedy pg 9
Kuwait
$13.50—17
Theater
BAM
$25—45
7:30pm
Chaikhana/Tea House pg 18
International/US
Poetry
Asia Society
$10—15
7pm 7:30pm
Land for a Stranger pg 12
Syria
Film
BAM
$11
Richard III: An Arab Tragedy pg 9
Kuwait
Theater
BAM
$25—45
7:30pm
Parissa: Classical Persian Music pg 5
Iran
Music
Asia Society
$25—35
9:30pm
Kamilya Jubran: The Maqam & Beyond pg 5
Palestine
Music
Asia Society
$25—35
2, 6:50pm
Takva—A Man’s Fear of God pg 13
Turkey
Film
BAM
$11
4:30, 9:15pm
Satin Rouge pg 13
France/Tunisia
Film
BAM
$11
7:30pm
Richard III: An Arab Tragedy pg 9
Kuwait
Theater
BAM
$25—45
7:30pm
Parissa: Classical Persian Music pg 5
Iran
Music
Asia Society
$25—35
9:30pm
Kamilya Jubran: The Maqam & Beyond pg 5
Palestine
Music
Asia Society
$25—35
9:30pm
Brahim Fribgane with zerobridge pg 6
US
Music
BAM
Free
3, 9pm
Leila pg 14
Iran
Film
BAM
$11
6pm
Heart of Jenin pg 14
Germany/Israel/Palestine
Film
BAM
$11
7:30pm
Sardono Dance Theater: Diponegoro pg 10
Indonesia
Dance Theater
Asia Society
$25—35
8pm
Qawwali Gospel Creation pg 7
Pakistan/US
Music
BAM
$20—35
9:30pm
Adam Matta & Friends pg 6
US
Music
BAM
Free
2, 8pm
Destiny pg 15
Egypt
Film
BAM
$11
3pm
Sardono Dance Theater: Diponegoro pg 10
Indonesia
Dance Theater
Asia Society
$25—35
5pm
The Frontier Gandhi pg 15
Afghanistan/India/Pakistan/US
Film
BAM
$11
Film
Thu, Jun 11
Fri, Jun 12
Sat, Jun 13
BAM Harvey Theater, 651 Fulton Street, Brooklyn, NY 11217 BAM Howard Gilman Opera House, BAM Rose Cinemas, BAMcafé, Natman Room Peter Jay Sharp Building, 30 Lafayette Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11217 2, 3, 4, 5, B, Q to Atlantic Ave; N, R, D, M to Pacific St; C to Lafayette Ave; G to Fulton St
American Museum of Natural History Online: amnh.org/programs Phone: 212.769.5200 Admissions center: Daily, 10am—5:45pm LeFrak Theater, Central Park West (at 79th St), New York, NY 10024 B, C to 81st St; 1 to 79th St
Special offer Save your ticket stubs! Muslim Voices ticket holders receive a 10% discount at AsiaStore and 15% off at Brownstone Books at BAM during the Festival (June 5—14 only). At AsiaStore, discover the best in Asian design and literature; at Brownstone Books at BAM, find arts-related books, music, and gift items. Ticket stub must be presented for discount. Discounts are non-transferrable and cannot be combined with other discounts.
Sun, Jun 14
Muslim Voices Online Visit MuslimVoicesFestival.org for video previews, music clips, artist interviews, and more.
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