22 April 30, 2017 Culture

‘A Small Death’ by Saudi writer Mohamed Hasan Alwan wins IPAF Prize

Mohamad al-Hamamsi “A Small Death,” published by Dar Al Saqi, is a fictional account of the life of Muhyiddin Ibn Arabi, a Abu Dhabi Sufi Muslim scholar born in Muslim Spain in the 12th century. The novel he winner of the 2017 In- follows Ibn Arabi’s life through his ternational Prize for Ara- travels in Azerbaijan, North Africa, bic Fiction (IPAF) is Saudi the Hijaz in the Arabian Peninsula, writer Mohammed Hasan Iraq, Turkey and finally to Damas- Alwan for his novel “A cus, where he died. Throughout TSmall Death” (“Mawtun Saghir”). Ibn Arabi’s odyssey he encounters The announcement was made at a seemingly endless variety of peo- the Abu Dhabi International Book ple and events, through which he Fair. comes to deepen and broaden his In addition to having his work understanding of the human spirit translated into English and pro- and the world. moted internationally, After being short- Alwan received a listed for the prize, prize of $50,000. Alwan talked about Six shortlisted writ- his work in a docu- ers each received mentary produced $10,000. for IPAF. He said: Novelist Sahar “It might seem odd Khalifeh, who was to choose to write Prestigious award. Saudi writer Mohammed Hasan Alwan speaks after receiving the 2017 chairman of the a novel about Ibn International Prize for Arabic Fiction (IPAF) in Abu Dhabi. (Kheridine Mabrouk) judging panel, said Arabi with all those Alwan’s novel was se- extreme Eastern to what is seemingly foreign or dif- novel was awarded in 2015 the Paris wan from Libya, Elias Khoury from lected from among 159 concepts, while ferent is what drives me to recon- Arab Institute prize for best novel Lebanon, Saad Mohammed Raheem books from 18 Arab residing in this dis- nect with myself, as well as with my translated into French from Arabic. from Iraq, Mohammed Abdel Nabi countries. Professor tant cold corner of heritage and old culture.” In 2014, Alwan published a non- from Egypt and Alwan. Yasir Suleiman, chair- the world in Can- Alwan was born in Riyadh in 1979 fiction book in Arabic, “Migration: The 2017 IPAF Prize judging panel man of the IPAF board ada. I often think and lives in Toronto. Before “A Small Theory and Key Factors.” In 2010, included Khalifeh, Syrian translator of trustees, in a release, about this. So, at Death”, Alwan published four other he was selected as one of the best Saleh Almani, Egyptian novelist Sa- said the winning en- first, I directly novels: “The Ceiling of Sufficiency” 39 Arab authors under the age of 40 har El Mougy, Libyan academic and try “captivates through linked it to me (2002), “Sophia” (2004), “The Collar and his name was included in the critic Fatma Salem Al Haji and Brit- the power of empathy, feeling nostalgic, of Purity” (2007) and “The Beaver” “Beirut 39″ anthology. ish researcher Sophia Vasalou. unadorned love and the then I real- (2011). “The Beaver” (“Al-Qundus”) The six novels shortlisted for the crystal clarity of its gaze Cover of Mohammed Hasan ised that be- was shortlisted for the IPAF Prize 2017 prize were by Ismail Fahd Is- Mohamad al-Hamamsi is an into the human soul.” Alwan’s novel “A Small Death.” ing exposed in 2013. The French version of the mail from Kuwait, Najwa Binshat- Egyptian writer. Environment takes centre stage at Sharjah Biennial

N.P. Krishna Kumar by 70 international artists. scheduled in Sharjah with artist resistance,” Wu said. tion and perspective. “Envelope” is As is evident in the conceptual Kader Attia, curators Lara Khaldi In Sharjah, the structure en- a decommissioned hot air balloon framework of SB13, the themes re- and Zeynep Oz and the Lebanese closes a small garden and features that is occasionally inflated and is a Sharjah volving around environment and Association for Plastic Arts, Ashkal a wooden platform enabling and symbol of the recurring process of strategies of survival take centre Alwan. inviting the public to walk through rise and fall — a view of civilisation he 13th Sharjah Biennial stage. Survival also needs resist- Because of the way the theme it despite the formidable outer core as well as the cycle of breath. (SB13), with the theme ance methodologies to cope with has been structured, Tohme said or one can peep through the view His work “Kids, Cats and 1 Dog” is “Tamawuj”, Arabic for the overwhelming contemporary “the artworks, which include 30 holes of the shields into the organic a text work installed on the Gallery “rising and falling waves,” uncertainties that societies and cul- new commissions, can be seen to form of the small garden. 1 rooftop and a call for rescue of the is an attempt at decon- tures worldwide face. These con- be conversing with each other.” South African artist Dineo Se- subjects from destructive develop- Tstructing the concept of the bien- cerns are often accentuated in the Qasimi notes that the works dis- shee Bopape’s mixed media in- ments and from an Earth at tipping nial itself. It involves an education Middle East. played “offer new possibilities for stallation, “+/- 1791 (monument point. programme for “supporting the SB13 used six SAF venues understanding our role within the to the Haitian revolution 1791)” artistic and cultural landscape of — Al Mureijah Square, Callig- context of great uncertainty in the examines the healing and destruc- Tamawuj, Arabic for the region,” said Hoor al-Qasimi, raphy Square, Arts Square, the world today.” tive power of materials and how rising and falling president of the Sharjah Art Foun- newly opened Al Hamriyah Stu- Taiwanese duo Rain Wu and social change has a personal and dation (SAF), which is organising dios, the Flying Saucer and Old Eric Chen’s impressive site-specific spiritual dimension apart from waves, was the the event. Sharjah Planetarium. installation “Collectivism 2016,” socio-historical processes. theme of the 13th Tamawuj, which can also be in- Act I of SB13 takes place in Shar- comprising 640 police shields, is A stunning work comes from Sharjah Biennial. terpreted as a flowing, swelling, jah through June 12 while Act II displayed in the Art Square. The Lawrence Abu Hamdan, whose surging or fluctuating and undulat- and the closing event will be in the piece, inspired by the confrontation “Saydnaya (the missing 19db)” is a ing appearance, revolves around hometown of the event’s curator, between students and police in Tai- sound installation that is part of a Akhavan’s “Variations on a Gar- the key words of water, crops, Beirut-based Christine Tohme, in wan, was first displayed at the Tai- larger acoustic probe into the noto- den” is an expression of another earth and culinary, which form October. pei Biennial. “It examines what it rious Syrian prison 25km north of intense human desire to know and the basis of the displayed artwork An extended conversation is is to have a mass as well as ordered Damascus. This investigation docu- to be known by those who exist be- ments the chilling disappearance yond our immediate surroundings. of voices and the transformation of The large photograph references the prison into a death camp. the plaques carried on NASA’s Pio- Also staged during the opening neer 10 and 11 spacecraft launched week at SB13 was Abu Hamdan’s in 1972 and 1973, respectively. “Bird Watching,” an acoustic inves- Jennifer Allora and Guillermo tigation into the Saydnaya prison Calzadilla’s “The Great Silence” is examining the politics of listening profoundly moving, juxtaposing and the importance of the ear wit- the Arecibo Observatory in Esper- ness. anza, Puerto Rico, and the sur- Palestinian architect Khalil Ra- rounding Riyo Abajo forest, home bah’s “Palestine after Palestine: to the last wild population of en- New Sites for the Palestinian Mu- dangered Amazona vittata parrots. seum of Natural History and Hu- The three-channel, high-defini- mankind Departments” explores tion video’s script is written from the relationship between art and the parrots’ perspective, chroni- institutions. Rabah draws attention cling humankind’s quest to find in- to the occupation of the Palestinian telligent life by listening to signals territories and to the resilience of from outer space. It is a tragic-com- sites and symbols that exist in spite ic viewpoint as the parrot species of their contested states of being. extends its love and admiration to Iranian artist Abbas Akhavan, humankind, which, on the other who lives in Toronto, is presenting hand, is oblivious to them, their three interrelated works at SB13 that language and ecosystem, which is Survival topics. A view of the art works in Gallery 3 at Al Mureijah Square. (Sharjah Art Foundation) explore gestures of aerial projec- facing destruction.