Banat Al Hara: A Grassroots Exhibition in New York

For the third year, the Arab Film and Media Institute is putting on the Arab Women in the Arts showcase, running from April 6-14 with a hybrid program of in-person and virtual events. With a plethora of diverse programming highlighting a range of authentic Arab experiences, the Arab Women in the Arts showcase will bring critical discussions and provocative themes to Brooklyn neighborhoods.

By Ethan Dinçer

Among the film screenings and poetry readings, the program features a special grassroots exhibition, Banat Al Hara. Exploring themes of the body and homeland via mediums of illustration, photography, and mixed media, Banat Al Hara – translated as Women of the Neighborhood – will feature artists Mashael Alsaie, Haifa Bint-Kadi, Tracy Chahwan, Ayla Mortada, Karina Dandashi, Dahlia Dandashi, and Rama Duwaji. It is curated by Dahlia Dandashi, Rama Duwaji, and Karina Danashi, open from April 6-9 in person and online as a virtual art gallery.

Be sure to catch it in-person, though, as there will be music spun live by DJ Dali, DJ Cake, and DJ Isla.

By Ayla Mortada

Focusing on such critical themes in the diaspora is the goal of Banat Al Hara and the larger program of Arab Women in the Arts, an annual showcase to honor generations of Arab women who have revolutionized all forms of artistic expression.

Celebrating both emerging and established artists, the exhibition and the showcase will inspire and connect the Arab community within New York and across America while engaging the larger art world throughout the country.




Find out more about the exhibition, here.