Recent News, Updates, Announcements (last 90 days) For older events see page below

--> This just in: A very in-depth interview with Robin Kahn about her creation of The Art of Sahrawi Cooking for  dOCUMENTA(13) (see below) has just been posted on the online magazine Mommy (and reposted with commentary on Huffington Post) where she discusses her contribution to the exhibition in light of her overall artistic project.


--> Robin Kahn's The Art of Sahrawi Cooking has arrived at dOCUMENTA(13) in Kassel Germany, June 9 - September 15, 2012

Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev (d13 Director) meets with Khadija Hamdi (Minister of Culture, RASD) and Kirby Gookin in the Jaima to show her support for Western Sahara's struggle for independence.

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Asked to participate in dOCUMENTA(13) and create a project related to her book Dining in Refugee Camps: The Art of Sahrawi Cooking, Kahn collaborated with Khadija Hamdi, Minister of Culture (RASD) and the La Cooperativa Unidad Nacional Mujeres Saharauis to design an installation and program that would present the cultural and political circumstances of Western Sahara on this international platform where over one million visitors are expected to come and see some of the most cutting edge art made over the past five years.  Their decision was to create a jaima (sewn in the camps and shipped to Kassel) and have Sahrawi women be present who would cook couscous for visitors and sit with them to discuss their lives, their culture, the conflict with Morocco, the Wall of Shame, the need for a human rights component to MINURSO, etc.  For the six days that the women were present, couscous was offered to over 600 people daily, while hundreds more visited and took in the beautiful aura and hospitality that the jaima provided.     
     Since that first week, the women have returned home and they are greatly missed, so Robin asks that we send a shout out to Chaiaa Salek Ali, Fatma Galia Sidi Lounat, Horria Belal Mahumud, Tfarra Hanafi Erguebi, Nadjat Hamdi,  Meimouna M'd Keina, Gbenaha Mint Bani, and Ezzana Barka Mohamed.  They are what made the opening days such a success. Shukran!! 

     Additional special programs were organized by Sahara Libre Wear (who held a fashion show), ARTifariti (who presented their program and plans for 2012) and Federico Guzmá

-->n who held a workshop.

     One can also find at the jaima: OPEN SOURCE SAHARA a LIVE FEED FROM THE SAHARA REFUGEE CAMPS TO DOCUMENTA presented by Francis Gomila as part of Robin Kahn's "The Art of Sahrawi Cooking" LIVE: June 14 to Sept 16 2012. "The 2 way live feed will connect the Saharawi people directly with the DOCUMENTA audience with the aim of providing a tangible connection as way of exchange, and witness the physical realities of people living their lives in exile. At the same time it offers the Saharawi community a chance to return the gaze. The project reflects on the pivotal and historic role the internet and social networks have played in the Arab Spring uprisings."  Sahara broadcast managed by Khalil Haj
LIVE STREAMING ON: http://www.sahara-libre.com/

View photos here from the opening days on Robin's public photo album on facebook.   For Reviews of the exhibition see:

     New York Times      Art in America      ArtNet.com 
                                                                           Interview with Robin Kahn in Kunstforum

For Video:

     RASD TV        VernissageTV        

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March 24, 2012: Article & Interview with FATMA EL MEHDI on warscapes.com and Jadaliyya by Bhakti Shringarpure.

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March 8, 2012:

FATMA EL MEHDI’s Radio Interview on International Women’s Day:  "Fighting For Women's Rights in the Western Sahara"   

Fatma El Mehdi, the Secretary General of the Sahrawi National Union of Women was in New York to attend the 56th Commission on the Status of Women at the United Nations.  During her visit she spoke with John Hockenberry on National Public Radio's  The Takeaway (March 8, 2012).  Listen or visit:  www.thetakeaway.org   .  For more about Fatma read her autobiographical statement "Story from the Sahara."

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