:: May 2005 ::

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All programs free unless otherwise noted.

April 30 (Sat.), 7-11:00 p.m.—"Blood," Exhibit/Reception in Iraq art series

Selah Artistic Giving Center presents the fourth Iraqi/American collaborative gallery opening. "Blood" brings artists together to manifest blood's many meanings in such a way as to illuminate cultural tensions and beautifully provoke understanding. “Veil.Blood.Book.Desert” Four New Symbols of Peace By Iraq and America.

The exhibit will feature an Interactive Family Tree Installation: Blood as family lineage: A 13 foot family tree comprised of black and white copied Iraqi family tree posters will cover the gallery’s center column. These posters plot the line of BLOOD from Abraham and from his two sons Isaac and Ishmael, depicting their separation of their own family trees. This historical separation of brothers was the foundation of the cultural tensions between Judeo-Christian America and the predominantly Islamic Iraq. The Blood lineage family tree will also intermix both Iraqi and American newspapers with articles & pictures covering the war. The trees branches will extend across the gallery’s ceiling and those who attend the opening will have the opportunity to have their picture taken and hung from the branches along with other American and Iraqi artists. Literature on both the Islamic and Judeo Christian story of Isaac and Ishmael will be available for people to read and take with them.

The evening features music & dance with Frankie Flave from Style Elements and Kilafornia along with Jeremy McDara will organize world class breakdancing battles set to Drum n’ Bass and Hip Hop. Their performances will depict Los Angeles' warfare in the inner city streets and arts way of sublimating gang warfare into positive expression.

Paintings by: Abdulah Ashaeb an Iraqi artist living in Iraq. Using lcd projectors will project the images of his paintings Iraq projected onto the gallery walls. Also work by Michael Ulrich, Patrick Haemmerlein.

Performance Art by downtown artist Launa Bacon, who will engage in an instant message conversation with her cousin, a soldier, who is currently stationed in Iraq.

Charity Art: The Red Cross will set up a mobile blood drawing booth. As blood flows down through the family lines and is lost through warfare, so does blood circulate throughout our system. Gallery opening goers will have the opportunity to give blood that will be earmarked for Iraq, thereby completing the circulation within the exhibit as well as the circulation of blood between the cultures sprung from Isaac and Ishmael.

Selah invites everyone to come and experience a beautiful night of art, music, and dance celebrating the reconciliation of understanding. Chapter 4: Blood, April 30th, 7-11pm . 1001 e. 1st st. gallery #15, Los Angeles 90012. $5 suggested donation.


May 6 (Fri), 8:00 pm—Poets Nathalie Handal & Sholeh Wolpé Read From New Works

Palestinian American Nathalie Handal and Iranian American Sholeh Wolpé are two of the most dynamic young women poets who are not from the United States, yet are part of a vibrant and growing Mideast literature in the diaspora represented by American contemporary literature. On Friday evening, May 6, 8 pm, they will both read from their new books, The Lives of Rain (Interlink 2004) and The Scar Saloon (Red Hen Press 2004), at Beyond Baroque Literary/Arts Center, in a special appearance organized by Levantine Cultural Center.

Nathalie Handal is a poet, playwright and writer who has lived in Europe, the United States, the Caribbean, Latin America and the Middle East. She finished her MFA at Bennington College and her post-graduate degree at the University of London. Her work has appeared in numerous magazines, literary journals and anthologies worldwide, and she has been featured on NPR, KPFK, and PBS Radio. She has directed and is the author of numerous plays; and of Traveling Rooms (Poetry CD), The NeverField (poetry book), and The Lives of Rain, a collection shortlisted for The Agnes Lynch Starrett Poetry/The Pitt Poetry Series. Handal is the editor of The Poetry of Arab Women: A Contemporary Anthology, an Academy of American Poets bestseller and winner of the Pen Oakland/Josephine Miles award. Handal is presently editing two anthologies, Dominican Literature and Arab-American and Arab Diaspora Literature (Fall 2005); and co-editing along with Tina Chang and Ravi Shankar, Risen from East: An Anthology of South Asian, East Asian and Middle Eastern Poets. She is Poetry Books Review Editor for Sable (UK) and Associate Artist and Development Executive for the production company, The Kazbah Project. She teaches at Columbia University.

Poet and translator Sholeh Wolpé was born in Iran but spent most of her teen years in the Caribbean and Europe, ending up in the U.S. where she studied Radio-TV-Film at George Washington University in Washington DC. She has served on many boards of directors including the Redlands Bowl, Bonnes Meres, Tebot Bach and the Performance Loft. She has widely traveled through Europe, the Middle East and Asia, and speaks several languages. Sholeh Wolpé is the director and host of Poetry at the Loft, a successful poetry venue in Redlands. She divides her time between Redlands and Newport Beach.

Founded in 2001, Levantine Cultural Center explores contemporary Mediterranean/Middle Eastern arts and cultures, and often collaborates with Beyond Baroque on the literary arts. Nathalie Handal and Sholeh Wolpé, Friday, May 6, at 8 pm, Beyond Baroque Literary/Arts Center, 681 Venice Blvd., Venice 90291. Tickets $10, $8. Seating limited, reserved early. Call 310.559.5544 or 310.822.3006. First show 8 pm, second show 9:30 pm.

May 8 (Sun), 2:45 p.m—Screening of "Tahara" short by Sara Rashad

In "Tahara," Amina, an Egyptian housewife living in Los Angeles, must decide if she will follow tradition and circumcise her daughter, Suha, or if she will abandon this age old practice and save Suha from circumcision. Despite its illegality, Amina feels strongly that she must continue this tradition because of pressure she receives from her mother, Zeinab, when her husband is away on a business trip. USA, 2005, 35mm, 18 min. Writer/Dir/Prod: Sara Rashad. Cast: Caroleen Khalil, Yonsria Moursy, Aia Nazmy, Dori Mizrali.

Laemmle's Santa Monica, 1332 Second St, Santa Monica, CA.


May 13-19, Danae Elon's "Another Road Home" Opens at Laemmle's Fairfax 3

Another Road Home is a must-see documentary. Writes Variety film critic Ronnie Scheib, "Danae Elon's 'Another Road Home' charts the filmmaker's search for Musa Obeidallah, the Palestinian man her parents hired to take care of her in Israel for the first 20 years of her life. Her quest leads her from her current home in New York to Paterson, N. J., and from there to the West Bank. Fascinating in its reticence, honest, well-intentioned exploration involving two families, 'Another Road Home' fearlessly emerges with a far different picture than was originally envisioned...

"The Elons and the Obeidallahs meet and break bread in larger and smaller group configurations, but only Musa seems perfectly at ease with all camps. This state of grace signally escapes everyone else; though effort, respect and good will are palpable, so too is the tension."

Laemmle's FAIRFAX 3, 7907 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, 90048. 323.655.4010.


May 12-June 26—"The Arab-Israeli Cookbook," a play by Robin Soans

"The Arab-Israeli Cookbook," a new play by Robin Soans, directed by Louis Fantasia, is produced by the MET Theater in association with Louis Fantasia and Francis X. Tobin. 9 actors portray 40 real-life characters drawn from documentary-style interviews with ordinary people in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank. Their recipe for hope can be as simple as combining the ingredients of faith, tradition and courage. Tastes swallowed and meals shared form the basis of a common experience which underlies the universal desire for peace. These are the real stories of three generations of people who live in a rich and yet divided world where food and the traditions of the kitchen offer some constancy. They prepare authentic recipes on stage and tell of their love of life and delight in the world in spite on incredible odds. Their testimonies are shocking and their endurance amazing. "I pray for peace" are the last words of the play.

Read the director's notes.

Play runs through June 26. Thursday-Saturday at 8 pm, Sunday at 3 pm. At the MET Theatre, 1089 N. Oxford Avenue, Hollywood, CA 90029. Regular performances (5/19-6/26) $15-20; students, seniors and special group rate discounts available. Post-performance discussions every Thursday. For more detailed information please visit the play's web site. Box Office 323.957.1152.

Special Levantine Cultural Center discussion following the Thursday, June 9 performance. For group rate tix call 310.559.5544.

May 13 (Fri), 6:30 p.m—Screening of "Dry in the Mouth" and Potluck Dinner

Progressive filmmaker Yehuda Maayan wrote, produced, and directed this documentary-style fictional film with humor and panache, about young Israelis and Palestinians. Dinner/Film at the Workmen's Circle. 1525 S Robertson, Los Angeles 90035. 310.552.2007.


May 14 (Sat), 8 p.m.—Melodic Rhythms

Pejman Hadadi (tombak & daf); Kourosh Taghavi (setar); Greg Ellis (percussion).
Electric Lodge, 1416 Electric Ave, Venice, CA 90291. Directions.
Tickets and Info: 310.823.0710.


May 15 (Sun), 2-5:00 p.m.—Poets Vicky Demirci, Tina Demirdjian & Mireille Kalfayan Read at Cal State Exhibit

"THREADS OF HOPE, Celebration of Life" exhibit and poetry reading sponsored by The Armenian Dress and Textile Project & Cal State Los Angeles.

Poetry reading begins at 3:00 P.M., Cal State L.A. Fine Arts Gallery, California State University, Los Angeles, 5151 State University Drive, Los Angeles, Ca 90032.


May 19 (Thurs), 7:30 p.m—Greek Classical Concert

Anatolia Ioannides, Maia Jasper & Natalie Janssen perform instrumental and vocal music by 20th century Greek composers. Concert at the Brand Library, 1601 W. Mountain St, Glendale. 818.548.2051.

May 20 (Fri), 10,000 Kites for Peace

Israeli and Palestinian artists and organizers have put together a massive event to take place in Israel/Palestine with more than 10,000 kite flyers on both sides of the conflict, and many thousands more flying kites in peace solidarity around the world. Fly a kite for peace! Visit the 10,000 Kites web site for details.

May 21 (Sat), 6:30 p.m./8:00 p.m.—Lebanese Zein Al-Jundi Orchestra and We Are Baladi Dance & Dabke Troupe

This Lebanese musical heritage concert features Zein Al-Jundi, aa traditional Middle Eastern ten member orchestra & female vocalist; and the "We Are Baldai" Dance & Dabke Troupe by: "WE ARE BALADI" Dance Theater. Cocktail & Social Hour 6:30 p.m.; Concert 8:00 p.m. Tickets: $50 donation. For more information call Pierre & Badiha Alwan, 310.322.8391 or Yvette Mockary, 323.870.4440.

Audience encouraged to attend in ethnic garb; several prizes will be awarded. Organized by the Maronite League of Our Lady of Mount Lebanon.

Our Lady of Mount Lebanon Auditorium: 333 South San Vicente Blvd. at La Cienega Blvd., Los, Angeles, Ca. 90048.


May 21 (Sat), 7:30 p.m.—Armenian French "Bratsch" Performs at the Ford

The French group Bratsch will perform a single Los Angeles concert at the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre in Hollywood. "A wonderful journey from west to east with a group of unrestrained nomads who create fun playing music of all borders: Gypsy, Russian, Armenian, Yiddish melodies, or songs of their own. The audience goes wild, demands more," wrote L'Espress.

The evening promises a lively mix of gypsy music, jazz, klezmer, and rembetika, with five impassioned musicians on the guitar/bouzouki, violin, double bass, accordion, and clarinet. Rolling Stone describes Bratsch as inventive musicians "pursuing a musical eastern expansion of the [European Union]!"

Bratsch has performed at the most prestigious concert venues and festivals thoughout Europe, and has twelve albums to their credit. The group commands a huge following both in their native France and abroad. To learn more about Bratsch, visit their site. For tickets, go to www.fordamphitheatre.org, or call the Ford Box Office at 323 GO 1-FORD (461.3673). Tickets are $40 and $30. Group discounts are available.

The Ford Amphitheatre is located at 2580 Cahuenga Blvd., East, off the 101 Hollywood Freeway, across from the Hollywood Bowl and south of Universal Studios. The Ford is disabled accessible. On-site, stacked parking costs $10 per vehicle for evening shows.


May 22 (Sun), 1:00 pm—UCLA Colloquium: "Is Israel Jewish, Democratic, and Western? and What Should It Be?"

From the UCLA Center for Jewish Studies brochure: "The annual Maurice Amado Colloquium explores an issue of great contemporary relevance: the nature of the State of Israel in light of its diverse aspirations and ethnic components. At once aiming to be Jewish and democratic, and home to Jews and Arabs, religious and secular, Ashkenazi and Sephardi, the State of Israel has had to engage in a constant balancing act over the course of its 57 year history. This year's colloquium, organized by visiting Maurice Amado Professor Sammy Smooha, will bring together different perspectives by leading experts to complex questions. Has Israel fulfilled the mission set out in its foundational Proclamation of Independence? Should it try harder to live up to that original charge or rather seek another design and destiny? This year's colloquium will examine Israel's character in terms of the existing reality, available options, and ultimate goals."

Professor Sammy Smooha, a native of Iraq, is visiting Maurice Amado Professor in Sephardic Studies at UCLA and Professor of Sociology at the University of Haifa. Professor Smooha speicalizes in comparative ethnic relations, minority leadership, Jewish ethnicity in Israel, and Arab-Jewish relations in Israel. His publications include Israel: Pluralism and Conflict (1978); Arabs and Jews in Israel. Vol. 1: Conflicting and Shared Attitudes in a Divided Society (1989); and Arabs and Jews in Israel. Vol. 2: Change and Continuity in Mutual Intolerance (1992).

Opening remarks by David N. Myers, Director, UCLA Center for Jewish Studies; speakers include Sammy Smooha; Nadim Rouhana, Professor of Political Psychology, Tel Aviv University; and Ruth Gavison, Professor of Law, Hebrew University, Jerusalem.

This event free to the public. Advance registration suggested. Call 310.206.4836. Seats available on a first come-first served basis. UCLA Faculty Center. Enter UCLA from Hilgard Avenue and park in Lot 2 ($7). Email the CJS for further info.


May 22 (Sun), 7:30 pm—Ostad Hossein Omoumi in concert

Classic Persian music with master ney player Hossein Omoumi and Mehrdad A'raabi on tombak, daf. Skirball Center, 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles CA 90049. Tickets and info: 310.485-0280.


May 26 (Thurs), 7:30 p.m.—Advance Screening, Film Panel & Reception for "The Keeper: The Legend of Omar Khayyam"

Join director Kayvan Mashayekh, moderator David O. Russell (director of "I Love Huckabees" and "Three Kings"), writer/producer of "Frailty" Tom Huckabee, and international vocal star Andy Madadian for an exclusive preview of "The Keeper," followed by a filmmakers' discussion and reception. This moving feature raises essential questions about roots, identity, storytelling and the meaning of family ties.

Advance Ticket Purchase Online

Kamran is a twelve-year-old boy in the present day who discovers that his ancestor is the 11th-century mathematician, astronomer and poet of Persia, Omar Khayyam. The story has been passed down in his family from one generation to another, and now it is his responsibility to keep the story alive for future generations. His dying brother, Nader, begins telling him the story as we flash back from the modern day to the epic past where the relationship between Omar Khayyam, Hassan Sabbah (the original creator of the sect of Assassins) and their mutual love for a beautiful woman separate them from their eternal bond of friendship.

Throughout the telling of the story from Nader to Kamran, we periodically return to the present day to reveal the frailty of life and how stories such as ours easily fade with the passing of each generation.

When Nader dies, Kamran cannot contain his curiosity and sets off on a journey to find a book known as "The Great Omar," which was bound nearly 100 years ago and was a lost treasure on the Titanic. He comes across the Heiress (beautifully portrayed by Academy Award winner Vanessa Redgrave) of a mansion in England whose grandfather was the famous bookbinder who created "The Great Omar." It is here that Kamran learns about the importance of how the poetry of one man 1000 years ago has touched the lives of millions who still echo his verses from one generation to another.

Kamran continues his journey to reach his grandfather to learn the end of the story. It is finally revealed to him that it wasn't Omar's poetry that made him important, it was the poetry of his life. Hence, be proud of your heritage because it is the stories in our past that make our future more meaningful.

Omar Khayyam Commentary by Tom Huckabee

Omar Khayyam lived an outer life of great productivity and renown, in the service of an absolute monarch and under the watchful eye of a strict religious authority. He published nothing but scholarly articles on astronomy and mathematics during his lifetime. His private stash of poems is a map of his inner world, where he roamed without restriction or fear, free to shout suppositions that would have meant death if whispered in public. The message of his Rubaiyat is profoundly simple, devoid of facts but full of meaning, effortlessly erotic and joyously literate. It is philosophical but promotes no particular system. Yet, some have seen it as a mandate for agnostic hedonism and as an esoteric path to Allah. It is antiquarian, slightly futuristic and wholly present, appealing equally to seekers of all ages and both genders. Like an ancient underground stream, connecting the world's religions, races and cultures, it flows just as smoothly in Chinese, French and Hungarian as it does in the original Farsi. It can be used to seduce a lover, soothe the afflicted or bury your father. An idiot can understand it, but a genius may not. Only by the grace of God did Omar's Rubaiyat survive, to show us just how bright some candles burned during the so-called dark ages.

Seating limited, reserve your tickets early. 310.559.5544. Tix only $10. This event is a special benefit for Levantine Cultural Center.

Harmony Gold Theatre, 7655 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles 90046.

Click to order or listen to tracks

May 29 (Sun), 9:00 p.m—Niyaz Performs Debut L.A. Concert at the Temple Bar in Santa Monica

Vas vocalist Azam Ali, Axiom of Choice's multi-instrumentalist Loga Ramin Torkian, and producer Carmen Rizzo have joined forces to create a globe-spanning sound that the trio calls "folk music for the 21st century." Known collectively as Niyaz, the trio's first eponymous release is a hypnotic, ecstatic, and eminently danceable album that represents the best of both traditional world music and electronic music. All three of these musicians have built impressive individual careers.

With an ethereal, beguiling sound that evokes centuries of women's voices from medieval Europe to the modern Middle East, Azam Ali is best known as half of the best-selling duo Vas (with percussionist Greg Ellis). Her singing has been heard in several major motion pictures including "The Matrix: Revolutions" and on many television programs such as Alias and The Agency. Loga Ramin Torkian, whose band Axiom of Choice has won much critical acclaim, is deeply involved with the music of his homeland, Iran. He is accomplished on the guitar, the Turkish saz and electric guitarviol (a 14th century European bowed guitar), a traditional Persian lute, as well as other Turkish/Kurdish instruments.Loga also uses the Persian classical repertoire, known as the radif, within his own compositions. A two-time Grammy Award nominee, Carmen Rizzo has collaborated with a diverse range of artists, including Seal, Alanis Morisette, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Khaled, Ekova, and Cirque du Soleil as well as Paul Oakenfold, BT, Esthero, Jem, Alpha, Tiesto and Grant Lee Phillips.

For these three artists, Niyaz represents a real departure from their usual avenues of artistic expression. Their first joint album weaves together ten beautiful, mystical poems written by some of the greatest Sufi poets of all time, with music accessible to a contemporary audience. Azam, who was born in Iran but largely raised in India, sings in both Farsi (the Persian language) as well as in Urdu, a language widely spoken in India and in Pakistan. Carmen describes Niyaz' sound as "soothing, warm and dark—nothing too glossy."

Azam and Loga had known each other for well over a decade before coming together for this album. "We've talked for years about doing something together," notes Azam. "Now, the timing is right."

"We wanted to create music that will be accessible both to the communities whose native music influenced this album—the Persian, Turkish, and Indian communities—and to a larger audience," says Loga. "Our hope is that this music will transcend boundaries." He continues, "Our traditional music is acoustic; it's very intimate music-making, with a very introverted feeling. We wanted something more extroverted for this album, and that required a new approach."

Temple Bar, 1026 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica 90403. Tix $10. To buy tix online click here. Click here for directions.

Volunteer with Levantine Cultural Center's Programming Committee

Bring your ideas, enthusiasm and support to the Center by participating in a new Programming Committee, that will cooperate with our Board of Directors in creating new arts programs in the weeks and months ahead. To get on the reservation list for the next meeting, email us now!


Board of Directors Seeks Community Leaders

Levantine Center's Board of Directors is continually in formation, and welcomes inquiries—we are actively searching for more people with our passion and conviction! The board consists of diverse members of the community who are of Middle Eastern/Mediterranean heritage or who have a strong professional or artistic interest in furthering our mission. As directors, board members represent the organization officially, are responsible for its financial health, and make the priority strategic decisions, with counsel from Advisory Board members where possible. Board members work with activists heading specific committes, including the Film/Video, Literary, Education Performing Arts and Membership Committees.

Our Advisory Board is also in formation. Advisory board members are known professionally in their own communities and offer valuable counsel and services to the organization; they are eligible to attend the organization's annual retreat and receive other benefits.

Please contact us at 310.559.5544.

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To join/support Levantine Cultural Center, simply go to our membership page and fill in the blanks, use your credit card, or print and mail in your check for $120 annual membership dues (that's just $10 per month! and you'll receive many discounts and a pair of free tickets to an upcoming event, a minimum $40 value) to: Levantine Center, 8424A Santa Monica Blvd., N. 789, West Hollywood, CA 90069.

LEVANTINE CULTURAL CENTER
Cultures of the Middle East & Mediterranean
8424A Santa Monica Blvd., N.789, West Hollywood CA 90069
310.559.5544, info@levantinecenter.org

Levantine Center advocates for, educates about, and in general promotes and supports Middle Eastern and Mediterranean contemporary arts and traditional cultures. We present or cosponsor programs of music, literature, art, film/video, publications, new media and more, often from educational and historical perspectives. While acknowledging the value of entertainment, we emphasize scholarship and substance. We are strongly multidisciplinary and non-sectarian, do not embrace any political or religious doctrine, and are committed to the principle of cross-cultural cooperation. We support the strengthening of ties between all cultural, ethnic and religious communities of the Middle East/West Asia/Levant, as well as between all peoples of Middle Eastern descent in diaspora.

 
See what Levantine Center has been up to and take note of other recent cultural events.

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