Can Art Save Us?

Two heartbeats, one world. A Syrian musician’s mission for peace.

Tarek Zaidieh is an exceptionally talented violinist and member of the outstanding Orchestra for Syrian Musicians. The orchestra is described as a celebration of Syrian culture with contagious rhythms, soaring vocals and genius musicianship. Tarek has performed with the orchestra across Europe and at major festivals, including Glastonbury. You may have discovered the orchestra performing with Damon Albarn, famously known as the frontman of Blur, and co-founder and lead singer of the virtual band Gorillaz. Tarek has described some of these experiences as once in a lifetime and that the mission of the orchestra is showing the world that Syrians speak the language of peace. We talk about the violin as his second heartbeat, music as an injection of life when threatened by war and a connection to home when displaced by conflict. Tarek and the Orchestra of Syrian Musicians let the music do the talking, sharing messages of peace across the world.
Series Audio Editor - Courtesy of Joey Quan.
Series Music - Courtesy of Barry J. Gibb
Closed Captions are added to all interviews in this series. Read only, text versions of every interview can also be found here: https://www.canartsaveus.com
Discover The Orchestra of Syrian Musicians here: https://www.facebook.com/syrianorchestra/
 
 
 
 

Solidarity, sunshine photography and pain.

Joe Howell, also known as Maverick Beyond is a photographic artist working with an alternative cyanotype process from which she also creates sculptures. Her identity is firmly rooted in Sunderland, loyal to her working class roots, Jo is standing up to arts elitism by staying put. Despite the barriers against her as a working class woman in the arts, Jo not only supports community groups into creative practice and learning, but she foregrounds women lost in history. We talk about the 'Sad Countess' as both a victim of shocking domestic abuse and as a ground breaking victor of sexist law. Jo also amplified and made visible the significance of the Countess as a botanist in the Bowes Museum collection. We talk about the contribution of women to the 1985 Miners' Strike and the role of art in banners which she is also making visible again today. Jo talks about the pain she lives with, fibromyalgia, alongside the social wounds in society today but, just like her nana did, with every intention of getting on.
Series Audio Editor - Courtesy of Joey Quan.
Series Music - Courtesy of Barry J. Gibb
Closed Captions are added to all interviews in this series. Read only, text versions of every interview can also be found here: https://www.canartsaveus.com
Discover Jo's work here along with free, creative workshop videos, get curious! 
https://maverickbeyond.com/
 
 
 
 
 

The healing harp - a Syrian heart for one world.

Maya Youssef is known as the Queen of the Qanun, a virtuoso and composer of this beautiful Middle Eastern instrument described as a flat harp with 78 strings and possibly a descendant of the Egyptian harp. Maya honours Arabic classical music traditions with pathways into Western classical, Latin and jazz music. Her music responds to her vivid dreams and spiritual awakening, war and domestic abuse, love and separation. Maya's music is a prayer for peace and healing which she consciously shares with her audiences. In Maya’s words the act of playing music is the opposite of death and destruction; it is a life- and hope-affirming act and an antidote to what is happening, not only in her home of Syria, but in the world. We talk about how she became Queen of an instrument deemed only for men, music and heartbreak, surviving her personal war and finding the universal home. 
Series Audio Editor - Joey Quan.
Series Music - Courtesy of Barry J. Gibb
Closed Captions are added to all interviews in this series. Read only, text versions of every interview can also be found here: https://www.canartsaveus.com
Discover Maya Youssef: https://mayayoussef.com/

Brighton beats for a community heart.

Bobby Brown is a creative producer, artist, manager and rising architect of community arts and equal access, based in the city of Brighton. He's a game changer in youth work supporting creative projects, including music and radio that changes the lives of disadvantaged and excluded young people. He describes himself as a dream weaver, a bridge builder, an optimist and as someone who relied on youth services growing up to make sense of conflict and creative energy. He's an artist manager for rap duo Frankie Stew and Harvey Gunn and he's already been behind R&B singer Elli Ingram, a household name. We talk about identity, why multi-cultural cities are still ghettoised, Black Lives Matter and cultural spaces, fear and internal faith. Bobby is a game changer in the city of Brighton responding to the ever deepening gap between rich and poor. He shares his ideas and vision for building a society where democracy, equality and a collective voice can flourish together. 
Series Audio Editor - Courtesy of Joey Quan.
Series Music - Courtesy of Barry J. Gibb
Closed Captions are added to all interviews in this series. Read only, text versions of every interview can also be found here: https://www.canartsaveus.com
Discover Bobby Brown via: https://www.lighthouse.org.uk/
 
 

Islamic architecture and the art of building peace and hope.

Dr. Marwa Al-Sabouni is an award-winning architect considered to be one of the top 50 global thinkers around the world. Marwa elevates the critical role architecture has to play in building peace and preventing conflict through segregation and isolation. She is the author of ‘The Battle for Home’ and ‘Building for Hope' and an international speaker. She also recently co-directed the Brighton festival. We talk about 'uglification' and how badly built environments result in loneliness, violence, suicide and war. We talk about inhumane architecture as a form of siege on our human experience. We talk about hope, how we can re-build for peace and where those examples of architecture have been found historically. Marwa's hometown Homs was destroyed during the Syrian war and she and her family lived as prisoners for 2 years with daily, deadly threats. She chose to stay, to rebuild peace. Her courage is as humble as it is huge, practical, spiritual and very inspiring for a world in desperate need of peace.
During this recording, Marwa had low bandwidth in Syria, very special thanks are owed to the audio editor Barry J. Gibb to make the quality the best it could be. 
Discover Marwa Al Sabouni here: 
https://www.facebook.com/people/Marwa-Al-Sabouni/100001576481506/
Closed Captions are added to all interviews in this series. Read only, text versions of every interview can also be found here: https://www.canartsaveus.com
Series Music - Courtesy of Barry J. Gibb

Ceramic cups full of cowardice, creativity and courage.

Marice Cumber is one of the UK’s most compelling ceramic artists. She presents her own emotions, fears and vulnerabilities in her work and even cowardice shows up, no doubt  kicking and screaming. Her large, over-sized, ceramic cups hold and display her raw  emotions. They share the edgy qualities of German Expressionism by showing inner feelings and embracing the alternative but keeping a healthy focus on individual strength too. Marice is also the founder and director of Accumulate, the Art School for the Homeless and she has been committed to creativity as a way of empowering people who are homeless to move forward positively in their lives – you could say helping to re-fill their own cups with possibility and opportunity. We talk about cowardice, courage, mental health, purpose through crisis and how we can change adversity in our lives through creativity.
Series Audio Editor - Joey Quan.
Series Music - Courtesy of Barry J. Gibb
Closed Captions are added to all interviews in this series. Read only, text versions of every interview can also be found here: https://www.canartsaveus.com
Discover Marice Cumber:
https://www.instagram.com/maricecumber/  
https://accumulate.org.uk/
 

The UK’s First Hip-Hop Poet Laureate

Otis Mensah is the first hip-hop poet to be awarded a poet laureate title in the UK by the City of Sheffield.  Influenced by the expressive freedom of Jazz, Otis documents his journeys of introspection through vulnerable expression that speaks to racial identity, masculinity, loneliness and being othered. He has had numerous commissions and live performances include the Glastonbury Music Festival. His poetry collection, Metamorphosis, gives voice to unspoken trauma in everyday-life and we also talked about why poetry can speak, but we may not talk to each other.
As the first Hip-Hop artist to be awarded a poet laureate title in the UK, he wants to use the position to break down barriers, smash the stuffy stereotype, and remind people that poetry is meant to be for the people. The Guardian. 
Otis could be described as the most courageously vulnerable artist of the 21st century.
Series Audio Editor - Courtesy of Joey Quan.
Series Music - Courtesy of Barry J. Gibb
Closed Captions are added to all interviews in this series. Read only, text versions of every interview can also be found here: https://www.canartsaveus.com
Discover Otis Mensah here: https://otismensah.com/

Home of the Surrealists, Lee Miller / Roland Penrose

Antony Penrose, is the son of extraordinary parents. A photographer, author and rewilder, he is also the Co-director of The Penrose Collection and the Lee Miller Archives at Farleys House & Gallery. At his childhood home in Sussex, Antony conserves and shares the ground breaking work of his parents. His father Sir Roland Penrose was a surrealist painter, poet, biographer and a major collector of modern art. His mother, Lee Miller, was a highly significant WWII frontline war photographer. We talk about her deep, childhood trauma and leaving Vogue magazine behind as a top model to photograph truth, war crimes and concentration camps. Oscar winner, Kate Winslet, will play Lee Miller in the forthcoming film, 'Lee.' Antony talks about biting Picasso as a child, how 'curiosity is one of the most important things in the world,’ and the courage of conviction. He doesn’t shy away from brutal honesty personally or professionally. He talks about growing up with his mother’s PTSD and alcoholism and the astounding discovery of her enormous, photographic legacy in the attic after she had died. He asked Lee once, “Do you mind what people might say about you?” Lee replied, “They can say what ever they like, as long as it’s the truth.” Antony remains loyal to his parent’s core value of truth, ever more important in an age of fake news, propaganda and divisive politics.
Images by permission only: ‘
Antony Penrose, Farleys House, Sussex, England’ by Tony Tree / ‘Dining Room, Farleys House, Sussex, England’ by Tony Tree
Audio edit courtesy of Joey Quan.
Series Music - Courtesy of Barry J. Gibb
Closed Captions are added to all interviews in this series. Read only, text versions of every interview can be found here: https://canartsaveus.com/
Discover Farleys House & Gallery: https://www.farleyshouseandgallery.co.uk/ 
Listen to the podcast of  letters between Lee Miller and Roland Penrose, on all major streaming platforms, "Love Letters Bound in Gold Handcuffs."

Song, sexism and systemic racism in the music industry.

Eve Horne, is a singer, songwriter, producer, author, award winning mentor and activist. Eve's journey is a roller coaster from being in 90s 'girl groups' touring with major boy bands, a No. 1 single and millions of streams on Spotify, to a major life change dealing with depression then re-emerging as a producer and co-writer for major artists. Black, gay and a single mum, Eve is also a campaigner for gender equality in the music industry with her campaign 'The Unheard.' This year she is recognised as a Future Leader with Keychange, a global movement for equality. Eve talks about early trauma from feelings of rejection to racially motivated murder. She talks about life extremes from private jets to driving trains and onto the loneliness of leadership. Struggle has built her resilience and her commitment to justice is brave and unwavering.
Closed Captions are added to all interviews in this series. Read only, text versions of every interview can be found here: https://canartsaveus.com/
Images: Courtesy of Eve Horne / Peak Music UK.
Audio edit: Courtesy of Joey Quan.
Series Music - Courtesy of Barry J. Gibb
Discover Eve: https://www.peakmusic.uk/

Islamic genius, gravity, grief and the grip of art.

Hala Sabet, changed her life from being the most senior woman in the multinational oil and gas giant, Shell, in Egypt, to becoming a fine artist. Hala draws on her Egyptian roots to express the universe through sculpture and painting. She was selected by the Royal British Society of Sculptors and the International Art Fair in Egypt, where she also has recently had large scale solo exhibitions. We explore curiosity and courage through the idea of biblical coding, Islamic geometry, gravity and profound grief when art was her essential life force. Hala shares the loss of her mother, brother and feeling devastated when her husband needed major heart surgery. Hala's conviction is gripped through art.
Closed Captions are added to all interviews in this series. Read only, text versions of every interview can be found here: https://canartsaveus.com/
Images: Artworks by and courtesy of Hala Sabet.
Audi Edit courtesy of Katherine Wiley. 
Series Music - Courtesy of Barry J. Gibb
Discover Hala Sabet: https://www.halasabet.co.uk/