Abbas Akhavan

Description

The first publication covering the practice of Toronto-based artist Abbas Akhavan, examining a large body of his work over the course of his career. Abbas Akhavan's practice ranges from site-specific ephemeral installations to drawing, video and performance. The domestic sphere, as a forked space between hospitality and hostility, has been an on-going area of research in Abbas' work. More recent works have shifted focus, wandering onto spaces just outside the home - the garden, the backyard, and other domesticated landscapes. The 160-page book will aim to reflect the conceptual aesthetics of Abbas' practice and will include essays by Dr. Omar Kholeif (Manilow Senior Curator at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago), Marina Roy (Artist, Associate Professor Art History, Visual Art, and Theory, University of British Columbia) and others. Abbas is the recipient of Kunstpreis Berlin (2012), Abraaj Capital Art Prize (2014) and Sobey Art Award (2015). Residencies include Foundation Marcelino Botin with Mona Hatoum (Spain), Le Printemps de Septembre (France), Trinity Square Video, Western Front, and Fogo Islands (Canada), The Watermill Center (USA), and The Delfina Foundation (Dubai, UAE & London, UK).

Saira Ansari, arts and culture writer and researcher, has more than eleven years of writing and editing experience and have contributed to various art and culture publications across Pakistan, Brazil, India and UAE. Since 2013, she has been working as the PR & Media Manager at The Third Line in Dubai, a regional powerhouse in the contemporary art world.