Sharing intangible heritage

In collaboration with Arts University Plymouth, Counterpoints, Ettijahat – Independent Culture, GROW has been part of Beyond the Now: Socially Engaged Art in a (Dis)Connected World. https://counterpoints.org.uk/beyond-the-now-socially-engaged-art-in-a-disconnected-world/

Drop in anytime between 1-7pm for an interactive taster of the work and research projects of Syrian artists Yara Amayri and Abeer Sanyour Help us explore the intangible heritage of Syria and what that might mean to those in Plymouth. Please note: Children must be accompanied by a responsible adult.

The outcome of the activity will be displayed on the windows on Saturday 12 – Monday 14 August 2023.

https://grow-plymouth.squarespace.com/events/sharing-intangible-heritage-syria

PART OF A VIRTUAL RESIDENCY AT GROW

Over the course of 3 months, artists-in-residents, Abeer Sanyour and Yara Amayri and GROW artists, Chloe Georgakis, Nicole Gilbert and Jordanna Greaves met online to discuss their practice, past, current, and potential projects and life in their respective geographical areas.

Public Baths

Abeer Sanyour’s project is called ‘Public Baths’ and is documenting the oral history of daily life in Syria, before and after the war, in a series of videos exploring encounters inside Syrian public baths, called Hammams.

Urban Tableaux

Yara Amayri’s project is called ‘Urban Tableaux’ which has a focus on music and artistic performance, exploring reviving the concept of the festival and the social implications of seasonal celebrations.

This residency and event is also part of an ongoing series at GROW called #DIYRESIDENCIES. As the space is in its very early stages, there is much scope for our artistic partners to shape thinking and plans as we experiment and explore the building, its surroundings, heritage and looks to the future in terms of sustainability, inclusion, food and drink, grassroots arts, music and culture.

WHAT IS BEYOND THE NOW?

Beyond the Now: Socially Engaged Art in a (Dis)Connected World is an international research, development and cultural exchange focused on the role(s) of socially engaged art in an age of displacement. It includes a programme of mentorships, residencies, public dialogues, commissions, and other peer-to-peer learning for Syrian and Arab artists working across all art forms in the SWANA region, Europe and the UK.

Artist Bios

YARA AMAIRY
Yara’s journey with the arts began through music, where she had the opportunity to participate in various festivals and concerts in and around Damascus, and work with children ages 6 to 10 as a music tutor. After graduating from the Faculty of Architecture, she worked in the Consulting Center for Construction and Restoration of Heritage Buildings, and is part of the supervising team working on the restoration work in Khan Suleiman Pasha and rehabilitation of commercial buildings in Old Damascus. She volunteers as a teacher of architectural design for the first and second-year students in the Faculty of Architecture at Damascus University, where she has lectured on the history of Syrian art, and is pursuing her Masters in the restoration and rehabilitation of archaeological sites.

ABEER SANYOUR
Abeer is an architect and Master’s student in Urban and Environmental Planning in Syria. She participated in various trainings around tangible and intangible cultural heritage and renovation, and has worked as editor for the magazine Twenty-Two, specialized in architectural concerns through educating, training, habitation and culture– spreading. Among their volunteering staff are students, graduate architects, and researchers across the architectural spectrum. Abeer has also collaborated with the Directorate General of Antiquities and Museums and is interested in social-spatial cohesion by working and connecting with local communities and their shared heritage.