Jaffa's Al-Mitahna Gallery Celebrates First Anniversary with 'Venus and Earth' Exhibition

Al-Saraya Theater in Jaffa celebrated the first anniversary of Al-Mitahna Gallery on Thursday evening with the opening of the exhibition "Venus and Earth: Be a Tree Saturated with Fertility." The event also featured an evening of music and a recounting of the gallery's founding, honoring two individuals who contributed to its establishment. The celebration coincided with the completion of renovations on the historic building and the gallery's second year of operation.

The exhibition, curated by Rola Khoury, showcases works by artists Basma Badr, Doaa Badran, Alaa Ghassan, and Suma Qadan. This is the fifth exhibition at Al-Mitahna, exploring the relationship between the earth, the body, and imagination, drawing inspiration from ancient "Venus" sculptures and contemplating humanity's and nature's capacity for renewal and creation. The artists present diverse approaches to this theme through sculpture, installation, textile, and video.

Doaa Badran's ceramic bodies explore fragility and resilience, while Suma Qadan's "Green Gold" work examines the inherited knowledge of the land through soil and thyme plants. Alaa Ghassan uses textiles to explore concepts of home, community, and belonging, and Basma Badr addresses the connection between the body, family, and land, as well as the roles and boundaries inherited by individuals.

The evening began with remarks from Ayat Rahal, director of the community department, who was instrumental in the project's success. In a segment titled "Al-Mitahna: How and Why?", Mahmoud Abu Arishah, director of Al-Saraya Theater and founder and director of Al-Mitahna Gallery, and Youssef Asfour, a member of Al-Saraya's administrative body, shared the story of the venue and the process of establishing the gallery.

The celebration also honored Lubna Zubi, director of the Jeelan Foundation, for her role in cultural development and support for Al-Mitahna's establishment, and Mervat Dalak, director of development and operational advancement in the municipality, for her support and oversight of the project and the building's needs. Both were presented with artworks by artist Nour Minawi.

The program included a performance titled "Once Upon a Time" by artist Bishara Saba, who combined Arabic singing classics with stories and events related to their release, under the musical direction of Elias Haddoub. A musical set by DJ Djamil was also featured. The exhibition team included, in addition to curator Rola Khoury, producer Sham Abu Saleh, exhibition designer Ahmad Assaad, graphic designer Ahmad Halawi, and technical director Marwan Satl, all under the management of Mahmoud Abu Arishah. Al-Mitahna Gallery is located at 25 Salameh Road in the historic wheat mill building, which Al-Saraya Theater has renovated as a space for contemporary Arab arts. In addition to exhibitions, the gallery hosts workshops, tours, meetings, and live performances, as part of Al-Saraya's efforts to expand spaces for creativity and cultural exchange in Jaffa.