Mounira Al Solh & Nada Ghosn: NOA (Not Only Arabic) magazine #4
Evolving feminism: a rereading in the light of the Arab revolutions KADIST is happy to welcome artist Mounira Al Solh for an online research residency, in collaboration with writer and translator Nada Ghosn. During the confinement they have led a series of interviews and conversations with Arab feministsmilitants, specialists in women’s rights, jurists, academics, historians, sociologists, writers, women of religion. This compilation will be published in a new online issue of NOA (Not Only Arabic). Women took a significant part in the framework of various demonstrations with the goal of overthrowing the different regimes in the Arab World and contributed equally by the side of the men. Throughout the events, many women were dominant in the organization of demonstrations and in the distribution of knowledge among citizens. In order to spread the demonstrations and to express their opinions and transmit messages, they used the internet, social networks, you-tube, twitter, blogs, and even television channels. The media were very central in the advancement of the status of women. Contribution of women paved the way to conversations on their important role in society. If these attempts to reclaim the public space by women, as we have seen them in Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, or Lebanon, are very contemporary today, they are in fact a continuation of the feminist struggles of modern or even older history. It is this connection between current affairs and history that Mounira Al Solh and Nada Ghosn explore, in order to put into perspective the situation of feminism in the Arab world (and its interactions with the rest of the world), to consider its evolution, and to reflect on the questions making it possible to advance the rights of women. About NOA: NOA (Not Only Arabic) is a magazine in limited edition, created by Mounira Al Solh in collaboration with a team of editors and collaborators, such as Fadi El Tofeili, Mona Abu rayyan and Jacques Aswad. Viewing of the magazine can only be arranged by appointment or by direct inscription, at specific or secret locations, such as a hotel room, or a library. About Mounira Al Solh (Artist, born in Beirut, Lebanon. She lives and works between Lebanon and the Netherlands): Star signs? A flower? It blossoms. Shipped roses from Mexico to Syria and then to Beirut most importantly. Facing the sea. The night of Destiny. Dreams and plans and dreams and time. Fields and trains and cars, wigs. Wings and trees, figures and figs, awards and petrol, gas and studies and gas and success. Time and Trump again, arak machines and guns and powder, red sand and facial creams. Brown eyes and interphones and spelling mistakes. Thick rings on a finger that was just cut out of a hand and a hand that flew out of a body cage. About Nada Ghosn: Nada Ghosn was born near Paris. After studying Arabic language, literature and civilization, then translating, she lived in various countries in the Middle East and North Africa, where she worked for the press and various cultural institutions. Today she works as a freelance translator and writer. Nada Ghosn has translated several essays, novels, film scripts, plays, short stories and poetry collections. She regularly writes articles on culture and society for the print media, or for magazines. She occasionally takes part in artistic projects, conferences, and performances.