Sabbah Lyad: ... I did not imagine the extent of the beauty of the place and the wonderful nature

1.      Dear Sabbah Lyad, you/we have just returned from the DFEWA residency at Mallnitz in Austria. Please tell us more about your involvement in this residency. What made you join this residency and how would you describe the whole experience now that it's over?

Sabbah Lyad: I was invited to participate in Conan by the organizers of the symposium to present a sculptural work made of wood. I was fascinated by this place through what I saw on the Internet, but when I arrived, I did not imagine the extent of the beauty of the place and the wonderful nature. This area is imaginative and allows artists to revive their imagination and feelings.

 

2. What is the present role of artist residencies in the contemporary art ecosystem?

Sabbah Lyad: I believe that the artist is a true link between places and is a messenger of beauty who is able to extract beauty and transmit it to the largest number of people. Therefore, you find artistic residencies that can shed light on many places and issues.

 3. How do artist residencies meet the changing needs of individual artists?

Sabbah Lyad: Artistic residencies bring together a number of artists with different cultures, styles, and intellectual styles. This raises circles of discussion, dialogue, and the exchange of opinions and skills. This greatly reflects the artist’s personality and culture.

4.How can residencies provide alternative openings and infrastructures to nurture artistic work in the midst of current societal transformations and environmental crisis?

Sabbah Lyad: Certainly, communication strengthens trust between artists and provides opportunities for joint work or opens up areas for work through exhibitions or artistic projects that bring together artists who are intellectually and artistically compatible. It also increases the spread of the artist by introducing others to him from other regions and countries.

5. The practices and models of residencies are focused on cultural and societal development, rather than on that of the artists' careers. They are forging new connections and pathways between various regimes of society. As in the case of ecological biodiversity, it is today necessary to resist the homogenization of intellectual, aesthetic, and cultural knowledge. Are residencies reinforcing the process of cultural homogenization, or are they supporting cultural diversity?

Sabbah Lyad: It is not necessary to create cultural homogeneity or for artists to agree on one idea and one culture, but in my view, forums allow each person to present himself and his world to the other, and this produces knowledge of the diversity of cultures and ideas and creates a state of respect for each person’s culture, opinions, and beliefs towards the other. Dialogue is a good climate for building compatible societies. But it does not have to be identical