The Shake is the culmination of the Tier 2 partnership between The MAC in Belfast and coculture in Berlin, led by coculture's artistic director Khaled Barakeh - a Syrian multidisciplinary conceptual artist, activist, and cultural director based in Berlin.
This ambitious art project has recently opened an exhibition reflecting on what unites rather than divides us at The MAC in Belfast, running until 20th October.
Maurice Harron's iconic public sculpture, Hands Across the Divide, is at the centre of the exhibition. Erected in 1992, the sculpture is located in Derry-Londonderry and symbolises "the letting go of the past and reconciliation between both sides of the political divide during The Troubles. Khaled Barakeh reimagines this historical piece, focusing on the hands of the monument's two figures and precisely the gap between them: cast in bronze, frozen in an unfinished reconciliation, almost meeting but never genuinely joining.
This gap, filled with traumas and emotional memories, historical and political differences, resonated deeply with Khaled, who is from a country recently torn apart by sectarianism and deep-seated conflicts. The artist is drawn to exploring the potential within this void as an opportunity for new thinking that could bridge societal divides. By considering it as a connector rather than a divider, the gap metaphorically opens a space for this to negotiate the essence of it, encouraging viewers to contemplate what can be done differently.
Watch the video featuring artists Khaled Barakeh and Maurice Harron below:
Following the exhibition opening, a socially engaged project will see a collaboration with local organisations and stakeholders that aims to broaden efforts toward equitable civic participation. Together they will foster events, artistic interventions, and workshops designed to bring new political imaginaries to life that challenge stagnant realities.
Find out more:
This article has been taken from a feature on the Arts Council of Northern Ireland's website, read the original article here.
‘Northern Ireland has something that feels familiar - but your craic doesn’t exist anywhere else’ Khaled Barakeh in a recent interview with The Irish News, read the full interview