The afikra Podcast

On this episode of afikra, Walid Siti shares with us the origins and the stories behind his solemn pieces, from his life in Duhok and Ljubljana, Slovenia, to his start in printmaking, to the creation of works such as the "Seven Towers", "Climbing To Nowhere", and "The Black Tower." We touch upon the themes of large culminating structures, the recurrent climbing in a life, the return to memory, and...

Khaled Barakeh talked about his art work on reframing moments of dissonance, and often outright injustice, in political, and social structures. Khaled Barakeh is a conceptual artist and cultural activist. He graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts in Damascus in 2005 and received his MFA from Funen Art Academy in Odense, Denmark, in 2010. In 2013, he completed a Meisterschuler study at the Städels...

On this episode of Quartertones we're talking with Nubian-rooted Egyptian singer Nesma Herky who takes us to the origins of her interest in singing. We then listen to her work starting with Amary, continuing with Ne3eesh Be3eed, and end with her rendition of Mohamed Mounir's Ya Marakby. Nesma Herky is a marvelous Nubian rooted Egyptian singer and a skillful music composer, who is taking steady ste...

Justin K. Stearns talked about his work as professor of Arab Crossroads Studies at NYUAD and his research in contagion and diseases in Al-Andalus and North Africa. Justin Stearns received his BA in English and History from Dartmouth College in 1998 and his PhD in Near Eastern Studies from Princeton University in 2007. He is a Professor of Arab Crossroads Studies at New York University Abu Dhabi. H...

Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige talked about their multidisciplinary work as artists, photographers, and filmmakers. They discussed their art work and installations, as well as their movies, notably Memory Box. Filmmakers and artists, Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige question the fabrication of images and representations, the construction of imaginaries, and the writing of history. Their...

Reem Assil talked about her culinary approach at her restaurant 'Reem's California,' in addition to her chosen single ingredient that can be used in different dishes and desserts: Ashta. Reem Assil is a Palestinian-Syrian chef based in Oakland, CA. She is the owner of Reem’s California, a nationally acclaimed restaurant, inspired by her passion for Arab street corner bakeries and the vibrant commu...

Amir Nizar Zuabi and Samar Haddad King talk about the inception and process behind Yaa Samar!'s dance theatre performance: Last Ward which follows one man’s journey towards death in a hospital room. They also share with us how they met and began collaborating and discuss how far identity extends into their work. This episode is in collaboration with the Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi. Amir Nizar Zua...

Manal Al Dowayan talked about her interrogation of the gender-biased customs in Saudi Arabia and its metamorphosis through her art work and installations. Manal Al Dowayan’s practice navigates a territory where the personal and the political overlap. Her works spring from lived experiences—these intimate encounters with social injustice, the pangs of memory and forgetting. Yet her pieces are consi...

Vanessa Paloma Elbaz talked about her research in Jewish music. We listened to Chant Juif pour la Naissance by Mme. Azeroual, Habibi Lawel by Habiba Messika, and La Llorona by Chavela Vargas. Vanessa Paloma Duncan-Elbaz has a Ph. D. from the Sorbonne’s CERMOM research group of the INALCO (Center for Middle Eastern and Mediterranean Studies of the National Institute for Oriental Languages and Civil...

Amal Ghandour talked about her book 'This Arab Life,' where she explores common cultural and societal issues that most generations in the Arab world face. Amal Ghandour is a Lebanese-Jordanian author and blogger (Thinking Fits), with a career that spans more than three decades in the fields of research, communication, and community development. Her book, About This Man Called Ali (2009), was named...

Rami Yasin talked about his movie "Bloodline", “the first Arab vampire film.” Rami Yasin is a filmmaker and the founder of Breakout Films in Dubai. He was introduced to the world of cinema by his father who worked in film and television. After directing and producing television commercials for almost a decade, Rami seized an opportunity to work as a casting director and first assistant director in...

Ashraf Fagih talked about science fiction in the Arab world; a topic yet to be explored. Through his writings, Fagih talked about historical fantasy and mainstream culture. Ashraf Fagih (Saudi Arabia) is a writer born in 1977. He obtained a PhD in Computing from Queen’s University in Canada and is an assistant Professor at the King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals. He began writing fiction...

George Saliba talked about his research in Islamic science. He discussed the works of Muslim astronomers and scholars and how they shape modern-day science. George Saliba is a Professor of Arabic and Islamic Science. He is currently the Founding Director of Farouk Jabre Center for Arabic & Islamic Science and Philosophy, and holder of the Khwarizmi Chair in Arabic and Islamic Science at the Depart...

Amr Salama talked about his movie "Asmaa" that tells the story of a woman who suffers from AIDS decides not to surrender to the fatal disease. Amr Salama is an International Award Winning Film Director, Writer and Producer. Directed  Feature Films , Hit TV and Platform Shows, TV commercials, Music Videos and Feature Documentaries. Created & hosted by Mikey Muhanna , afikra  Edited by: Ramzi Ramman...

Lena Merhej talked about her work as an illustrator at Samandal and WatWat. Merhej discussed how her comics publishes provides an alternative expression of cultural and social issues for youths and adults. Lena Merhej is a visual storyteller and an expert in graphic narration. She taught at several universities in Beirut. She is the founder and director of the Story Center, which offers profession...

Karim Haidar talked about the future of Lebanese food in Europe through education and restaurant work. Haidar discusses traditional Lebanese food, devoid of fusion, and how he had developed the Academy of Arab Cuisine in Paris. Renowned chef Karim Haidar has founded the Academy of Arab Cuisine in Paris, a platform to promote Arab cuisine across the world. By offering a space for these cuisines on...

Josélia Neves is an expert at Qatar Foundation. She talked about the D'reesha Performing Arts Festival.  The inaugural edition brought thousands of people from across Qatar to a week-long event filled with talents in the fields of theatre, music, poetry, storytelling, education, research and much more. Dr. Josélia Neves is the Associate Dean for Social Engagement and Access and Professor at the Tr...

In this Quartertones event in collaboration with Habibi Festival held at Joe's Pub, we talked to Bedouin Burger duo artists Lynn Adib and Zeid Hamdan. ABOUT HABIBI FESTIVAL Created with the goal of giving a snapshot of contemporary and traditional musics of the SWANA (South West Asia North Africa) region, Habibi Festival aims to take listeners on a journey of the sounds wafting through the airwav...

In this Quartertones event in collaboration with Habibi Festival held at Joe's Pub, we talked to classical pianist Hatim Belyamani and rapper Mehdi WMD. ABOUT HABIBI FESTIVAL Created with the goal of giving a snapshot of contemporary and traditional musics of the SWANA (South West Asia North Africa) region, Habibi Festival aims to take listeners on a journey of the sounds wafting through the airw...

In this Quartertones event in collaboration with Habibi Festival held at Joe's Pub, we talked to Kanun player and composer Firas Zreik.  ABOUT HABIBI FESTIVAL Created with the goal of giving a snapshot of contemporary and traditional musics of the SWANA (South West Asia North Africa) region, Habibi Festival aims to take listeners on a journey of the sounds wafting through the airwaves and living...

In this Quartertones event in collaboration with Habibi Festival held at Joe's Pub, we talked to maqamat and awtaar vocalist Zahra Alzubaidi. ABOUT HABIBI FESTIVAL Created with the goal of giving a snapshot of contemporary and traditional musics of the SWANA (South West Asia North Africa) region, Habibi Festival aims to take listeners on a journey of the sounds wafting through the airwaves and li...

In this Quartertones event in collaboration with Habibi Festival held at Joe's Pub, we talked to Mauritanian griot and singer Noura Mint Seymali and Mauritania/Senegal-based producer and musician Matthew Tinari.  ABOUT HABIBI FESTIVAL Created with the goal of giving a snapshot of contemporary and traditional musics of the SWANA (South West Asia North Africa) region, Habibi Festival aims to take l...

Marcia Inhorn talked about her in-depth research on refugee health and healthcare rights for the most vulnerable. She also talked about her work on traditions regarding infertility, gender, and religion in Egypt. Professor Inhorn is the William K. Lanman Jr. Professor of Anthropology and International Affairs and Chair of the Council on Middle East Studies (CMES) in the MacMillan Center for Intern...

Wafa Ghnaim talked about the process of establishing Tatreez and Tea and how embroidery plays an important role in the Palestinian society. Wafa Ghnaim is a Palestinian researcher, author and educator who began learning embroidery from her mother, award-winning artist Feryal Abbasi-Ghnaim , when she was two years old. Her first book, “ Tatreez & Tea: Embroidery and Storytelling in the Palestinian...

Rashid Al Rahmani talked about his work as an animator and illustrator. Al Rahmani discussed the superhero projects that AC Comics AE are working on. Created and hosted by Mikey Muhanna , afikra Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.instagram.com/tarek_yamani/ About the afikra Conversations: Our long-form interview series features academics, arts, ‎and media experts who...