In this episode of the afikra podcast, host Mikey Muhanna speaks with His Excellency Rakan Altouq – Vice Chair of the Diriyah Biennale Arts Foundation and Assistant Minister for Culture of Saudi Arabia – and Dr Julian Raby, one of the artistic directors of the Islamic Arts Biennale. Live from the historic Hajj terminal in Jeddah, they discuss the significanc ... Show More
Nov 17
Bernard Khoury | On Karantina, Solidere & Practicing Architecture in Lebanon
<p>We visited renowned architect Bernard Khoury in his studio in Karantina, who offered a critical, unvarnished look at the reality of practicing architecture in Lebanon, contrasting it with the sugarcoated story of the "Phoenix coming out of its ashes". He discusses his career b ... Show More
45m 24s
Nov 10
Nurturing Authentic Voices in Filmmaking in the Arab World | Rana Kazkaz
<p>We delve into the evolving landscape of filmmaking in the region, the importance of authentic, locally rooted narratives, and the critical role of institutions like the Doha Film Institute in fostering emerging talent. Award-winning filmmaker and associate professor at Northwe ... Show More
44m 12s
Nov 4
"The Future is Not a Grave" With the NYU Institutes | Masha Kirasirova & Tishani Doshi
<p>"The Future Is Not a Grave" is a three-day workshop happening next week at NYUAD which explores futurisms and futurescapes across the MENA, Gulf, and Indian Ocean regions. In this collaborative episode with NYU Abu Dhabi Institute, conveners Tishani Doshi and Masha Kirasirova ... Show More
53m 29s
Sep 15
The Brush that Carried a Homeland - Sliman Mansour (Arabic Episode)
Few artists have captured the soul of Palestine the way Sliman Mansour has. His paintings featuring olive trees, stone terraces, mud, and the steadfast women of the land have carried Palestine across generations and borders. In this conversation, Mansour looks back on his childho ... Show More
50m 42s
Apr 2025
#7 - Art, Culture & The Arab Narrative: Rima Nasser of Selections Magazine
In this episode of "Tak on the Pod", Andrea sits down with Rima Nasser, founder of Selections Magazine, a platform dedicated to showcasing the richness of Arab art, design, and culture. Through Selections and initiatives like Cultural Narratives, Rima has created a space for arti ... Show More
29m 51s
Jul 2024
S5E5 Teaching Islamic Art in Schools, with Rizwan Iqbal
Join Rizwan Iqbal as he explores how to get young people excited about Islamic art. Listen as he details the problems faced, solutions he has discovered, and the exciting work he has done as part of our Hands On Islamic Art project, which connects the wider UK to Islamic art coll ... Show More
35m 43s
Apr 2025
Short Stories from Arab Cities | Exploring Urban Narratives With the Co-Editors of "Mudun" Reem Khorshid & Faris Bseiso
In this episode of Ehkili, we speak with Reem Khorshid and Faris Bseiso about their literary project Mudun, published by Kaph Books and supported by the Barjeel Art Foundation. They trace the origins of this anthology of short stories about Arab cities, which began as a pandemic ... Show More
48m 37s
May 2018
21: Global materials and techniques of Islamic Architecture with Christian Hedrick (GAHTC)
Muqarnas Vault, Masjid-i Shah/Imam, Isfahan. Source: Daniel C. Waugh, Courtesy of Archnet.org We talk with Architectural historian Christian Hedrick, currently working at the Aga Khan Documentation Center at MIT as a researcher, visiting lecturer at the School of Architecture a ... Show More
39m 21s
Jan 2024
Amal Murkus & Firas Zreik at Habibi Fest 2023 | Quartertones Live at Joe's Pub
<p>We partnered with Habibi Festival for a six-night celebration of ancient + contemporary sounds from Lebanon, Tunisia, Syria, Morocco, Palestine, Algeria and more! It all took place from October 1-7 at Joe's Pub in NYC. </p><p>Each night we taped live conversations with the art ... Show More
14m 44s