United Arab Emirates - April 15, 2020:  The NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) Art Gallery will host its first ever virtual roundtable, entitled In Light of COVID-19: What Looks Different Now, featuring artist Amar Kanwar, in dialogue with NYUAD scientists, scholars,  and cultural-sector professionals. 

 

Taking place on Wednesday, April 22 at 6pm UAE time, the roundtable will explore the effects of COVID-19 on how we see points of connection that, pre-pandemic, may not have been as tangible in our day-to-day lives. The COVID-19 crisis shines a light on the impact of decisions made by individuals and governments, on our communities and ecosystems, making visible the interconnectedness of our world. 

 

The conversation ties into the larger questions of Kanwar’s exhibition at The NYUAD Art Gallery, The Sovereign Forest, which shows the connections between farmlands, a forest, and the health of a nation, specifically in the case of Odisha, India. Government decisions there had a cascading effect on institutions, companies, small businesses, individuals, and ecosystems. This ripple-effect of decisions and consequences exposes how interconnected our communities are, on all levels. 

 

Kanwar will join a roundtable of speakers from a range of disciplines, including NYUAD’s Professor of Practice in Mathematics, Alberto Gandolfi; Director of Health and Wellness Center, Ayaz Virji; Associate Arts Professor of Theatre, Joanna Settle; Program Head, Arab Crossroads and Visiting Professor of Anthropology, Jonathan Shannon. The conversation will be joined by Sabih Ahmed, Associate Director and Curator at Ishara Art Foundation, where Amar Kanwar’s Such a Morning opened concurrently. It will be moderated by Chief Curator at NYUAD and Executive Director of The NYUAD Art Gallery, Maya Allison.