Araam: Breathing Space

Halima Cassell and Zarah Hussain

27 June - 15 August 09

Araam is a partnership project that is building creative bridges between the North West of England and Pakistan.  The project will initially showcase the work of two exciting, cutting edge UK artists through international residencies in Pakistan and a unique exhibition at Mid Pennine Gallery.

Araam – which means Breathing Space, has been developed to give the artists time to research and develop new ideas and creative disciplines by exploring their Pakistani roots. Artists Halima Cassell and Zarah Hussain use very different artistic mediums, but both are inspired by their ancestral heritage. The project is a partnership between MPA and Shisha, the international agency for contemporary Asian crafts and visual arts, based in Manchester.

The ongoing project will unfold in stages. Stage One was a research and development visit to Pakistan cities in January/February of this year. Halima travelled with Shisha Deputy Director Fareda Khan and MPA Director Nick Hunt, visiting higher education and cultural centres in Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi.

Their tour had several aims - a fact-finding introduction to the immense sophistication of contemporary culture in Pakistan, the forging of friendship links to help build a future programme of exchange and the securing of locations for subsequent residencies by our participating artists. Our thanks go to Shisha for organising what proved a fascinating and richly rewarding trip, (although Nick got slightly more than he bargained for when he ended up in a Lahore hospital after a nasty accident to his knee!)  He assures us that he was extremely well looked after.

Ceramic artist Halima is now back in Pakistan for Stage Two of the project which is a two-city residency.  Zarah is due to join her for an initial visit later this month. 

Work inspired by Halima and Zarah’s explorations will feature in the Araam exhibition to ne held at Mid Pennine Gallery between 27 June and 15 August 09. The exhibition will show the artists work in progress, documenting the fascinating intercultural experiment that is Araam: Breathing Space. Both artists will spend time in residence at the Gallery.Further details will be posted here when available.

   Animation still, Zarah Hussain, 2007