The Dwaya art initiative tries to shed a different light on Libya. The Libyan artists in the medina of Tunis.
Surrounded by painting-adorned stone walls, a 21-year-old woman stood in front of a painting explaining her techniques to the gallery’s visitors. The gallery CentralTunis is situated in the heart of the Tunisian capital on Barcelona square. The owner of the gallery, Emna Ben Yedder and the young artist have one thing in common: bring art and culture to places where it is not usual.
Takwa (Tewa) Barnosa, a visual artist, travelled in the summer of 2019 from Libya to Tunis to take part in the exhibition “Dwaya,” organized under the framework of the Tunisian-Libyan cultural project called “Breaking the Ice.”
While relations between Tunisians and Libyans have been tenuous since the 2011 uprisings, youth from both countries came together to launch a cultural initiative to promote the nations’ artists and strengthen cultural ties. The exhibition, held between May 5-8 in 2019, was the second activity of the cultural project, which was launched May 4 with a concert in Tunis featuring musicians from Libya and Tunisia.
“Libyans and Tunisians worked on this project, which strives to break this wall between the two countries through art, and we found a great reaction from Tunisian and Libyan artists who expressed their eagerness to work on this. We called the project ‘Breaking the Ice’ to highlight the contradictions that exist in the relationship between Tunisians and Libyans,” said Henda Chennaoui, director of the project’s communications.
“Libyans and Tunisians have many similarities but don’t get along,” she added. “We are historically, politically and socially interconnected but the cultural image is different. Tunisians and Libyans share prejudices about each other. This issue cannot be explored in any other way than through art… Both Libyan and Tunisian artists played music on the same stage together and today they exhibit their work in the same space.”
The “Dwaya” exhibition featured Libyan artists Ahmed Baroudi, Mohamed Kharubi, Radhuane Zanati, Barnosa and Achref Suissi, alongside the “Andalusiyat” exhibition by Tunisian artist Samira Khalfi.
Attracting a large number of attendees from both Tunisia and Libya, the exhibition succeeded in drawing attention to the role of art in bringing the countries together.
“We need such initiatives,” said Barnosa, who manages an art gallery called “Waraq Art Foundation” in Tripoli from distance since she is living now in Berlin.
“Many Libyans live in Tunisia and visit all the time. I personally come here very often and it is very important to keep a good relationship.
“Here there is this image of Libyans being isolated and Tunisians don’t know much about us even though we are the country next door. It is important to create bridges between the countries. It is important to exchange with Tunisians as well with Europeans and engage them,” said Barnosa.
Visual Artist Baroudi stressed that cultural and artistic initiatives could help bridge the gap between different cultures. “Our vision of our Dwaya art initiative is being a medium to reinforce communication. I hope this strengthens communication between cultures,” said Baroudi.
Last year`s Black Box exhibition and podium discussions in Heidelberg and Berlin were an opportunity for exchange between the Libyan artists and the German audience. Tewa and Ahmed are of two different generations and produce quite different art but still share the same vision- to reflect on the struggles facing artists in their country and motivate Libyans to be creative-active themselves.
“It is not easy but it is possible,” said Barnosa. “Our team in Tripoli will be focusing on a new projects of art in public spaces, which is a huge challenge. The audience is not easy to control in public space and they don’t really appreciate art and there are different opinions as some people consider art dangerous, taboo, forbidden religiously. It is a slow process.”
She explained further: “Visual art is still much easier to exhibit in Libya and it is more present than theatre and cinema. Theatre is dead and there is no movie theatre that is open. The reasons it is important for artists to continue their work despite difficult conditions in Libya.
“The situation of art in Libya has been affected like all areas of life,” said Barudi. “… As artists, we should not let these circumstances affect us for we, those with essence, should continue to create and thrive.
“I will not give up on showcasing my work in my country. Before exhibiting my work abroad, I will try to do it first in Libya. Even if they closed the gallery, I will display it on the outer walls. If I don’t do this, then I would have admitted I got defeated, which I cannot tolerate. My success and triumph should be inside Libya.”
Mohamed Zanati, another Dwaya artist, stressed that art can play a role in helping society recover from conflict.
“We need to rely on ourselves first,” said Zanati. “We are the ones building the country and society. The artist has the role of leading his society to evolve and have the culture develop which could be done only through art. We need to open up to the world and carry a message of peace.”
The Black Box tour is Tewa’s and Ahmed’s second joint effort outside Libya aimed at shedding light on the artistic scene in Libya, but Dwaya’s first trip to Germany.
“I believe we reached our goals as youth from both countries found common ground beyond silly jokes of stereotypes and prejudice to interact and get to know each other,” said Azza Derbali, a project manager of the Breaking the Ice project that organized Dwayas first art exhibition in Tunis. “I think we all managed to build an artistic bridge.”
“And for once the exchange is not smuggling contraband or terrorism,” she added. “Libya, which still suffers from the remnants of dictatorship and the war, still has many young people resisting, which is just one story of many from an unknown Libya.”
Text: Roua Khlifi, Mirco Keilberth
Foto: Mirco Keilberth
Video:
Blackbox Libya is a cooperation of Heinrich Boell Foundation and Breaking the Ice
https://tn.boell.org/en/blackbox-libya-political-dynamics-and-spaces-artistic-intervention
