Mar'a'yeh: A Night’s Journey

LABA Berlin has partnered with the Deutsche Islam Akademie (DIA) for its groundbreaking Muslim-Jewish art residency program: Mar‘a’yeh. Marayeh (مرايه) the Levantine Arabic word for mirror harbors within it the Hebrew word with the same meaning: Mar’a (מַראָה). Together they form an infinity mirror; the words are inseparable, yet their connection is invisible to undiscerning eyes. Mar‘a’yeh perceives art as a mirror reflecting the multifaceted essence of society without simplifications, dissections and categorizations. Our Marayeh, Mar’a on the wall does not tickle our vanity. Rather, it reflects our flaws and beauty while unveiling the complexities and predicaments of human experience. Mar‘a’yeh aims to challenge perceptions of Jewishness and Muslimness in German society, spark dialogue, and ultimately foster empathy.

Established in 2021, LABA Berlin has trust in art’s ability to reach into the essence of our being, both personally and collectively. LABA Berlin’s mission has been to foster innovative engagement with the rich Jewish scriptural heritage and challenge contemporary discourses on Jewish identity and belonging. With its new artist residency Mar‘a’yeh, LABA Berlin and DIA invite Berlin-based artists and art educators of Jewish and Muslim heritage to participate in a year of exchange, conversation, and co-creation. The fellows will share an immersive experience in the world of Jewish and Islamic text as a source of inspiration for art, dialogue and criticism. Intellectual input, critique and skills support will be provided by a team of scholars, academics, social practitioners and artists of both faiths and cultures. 

Keeping with LABA tradition, an annual theme forms the focal point for study, conversation and creation. This year’s theme is “Night”. LABA fellows will explore the theme of Night in the Jewish and Islamic canons and in the lives of creatives. They will look at how and why Night anchors, liberates, and terrifies us. Through a study of evocative stories of epic nights from Islamic and Jewish scriptural heritage, they will examine the mystery of Night with its fantasies, eroticism, and mysticism that often dissipate at dawn. Sessions led by alternating pairs of Jewish and Muslim scholars will juxtapose Jewish and Islamic texts to explore the plurality of lived Muslimness and Jewishness, enabling scrutiny of one's own traditions and gaining familiarity with those of others. 

The program is a cooperation with Künstlerhaus Bethanien—an international cultural center in Berlin-Kreuzberg dedicated to the advancement of contemporary visual arts and encouraging critical reflection on subjects related to contemporary art and culture. An equal number of Jewish- and Muslim-identifying fellows will benefit from a supportive ecosystem providing creative direction, close readings with renowned Jewish and Muslim scholars, reflection workshops on contemporary discourses in Germany, and a network of international creatives. The program provides an opportunity for an ongoing and stimulating intellectual exchange as well as resources for the realization of a creative project connected to this year’s theme Night.

The fellows will receive an honorarium of €1350 for their engagement and 1150€ for material expenses to realize their eventual projects. The artists will share a 75m² studio space for six months to develop collaborative projects and facilitate organic creative relationships and intellectual growth. Fellows will have the opportunity to present their work in progress in LABA Berlin and Künstlerhaus Bethanien open studio events and receive feedback from established artists and curators. In a final public exhibition and performance series in winter, the fellows will present their completed projects inspired by Night. 

Mar‘a’yeh is for professional artists who identify as Jewish or Muslim. This identification with Muslimness or Jewishness can be religious, ethnic, or cultural. We understand that each of  us is a complex being, negotiating multiple identities, and we want to clearly emphasize that we are open to the broadest understandings of these identifications. Our aim is to enable robust intellectual and cultural dialogue through a secular, creative approach connecting textuality with other forms of expression. Artists of all disciplines are invited to apply; however, due to the cooperation with Künstlerhaus Bethanien there will be a focus on the visual arts. We also welcome artists from other disciplines that are interested in collaborations, like musicians, composers, sound, light and video artists, performers, directors, and writers. 

Given LABA Berlin’s rooting in learning, collaboration, and collective growth, we are also interested in supporting creative education projects. We believe the immersive experience of artistic network and professional guidance poses great potential for developing educational programs for school children focusing on anti-discrimination, dialogue, tolerance, or other forms of political education.

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