Issam Kourbaj: Urgent Archive
2 March – 26 May 2024, 11am – 5pm
Since 2011 Issam Kourbaj’s artwork has responded to the ongoing conflict in Syria, and reflects on the suffering of his fellow Syrians and the destruction of his cultural heritage. This exhibition presented key works from this period alongside a new series which explored themes of loss, memory and renewal.
Inspired by a seed’s ability to sprout roots in new environments, Kourbaj grew Syrian wheat (donated by ICARDA) at Kettle’s Yard and Downing College, creating new work in collaboration with The Heong Gallery, Cambridge University Botanic Garden and the Sainsbury Laboratory, Cambridge University, and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
The exhibition – the artist’s largest to date – included installation, sculpture, performance and works on paper. Kourbaj was present at intervals throughout the exhibition, which evolved as he added to the displays.
We are grateful to Wysing Arts Centre for supporting the production of new limited-edition ceramics which are available to buy in the shop.
A concurrent exhibition of work by Issam Kourbaj took place at the Heong Gallery, Downing College, Cambridge. A new publication explored the themes and artworks in both exhibitions. ‘Issam Kourbaj: Urgent Archive’ was curated by Guy Haywood with Amy Tobin.
Reviews
Kourbaj’s bringing together of art, science and politics creates hugely affective work that simply cannot be ignored.
— Beth Williamson for Studio International
A moving and important exhibition.
— Exhibition visitor
Harrowing, beautiful, timely and deeply moving. Unmissable.
— Exhibition visitor
Gallery
Photos by Jo Underhill
About Issam Kourbaj
Issam Kourbaj was born in Syria and trained at the Institute of Fine Arts in Damascus, the Repin Institute of Fine Arts & Architecture in Leningrad (St Petersburg) and at Wimbledon School of Art. Since 1990, he has lived and worked in Cambridge, where he has been artist-in-residence, a Bye-Fellow and a lector in Art, at Christ’s College.
Since 2011 his artwork has related to the Syrian Crisis and reflects on the suffering of his fellow Syrians and the destruction of his cultural heritage.
His work has been widely exhibited and collected, and most recently it was featured in several museums and galleries around the world: The Fitzwilliam Museum, the Museum of Classical Archaeology, Kettle’s Yard, Cambridge; the British Museum and the V&A, London; Tropenmuseum, Amsterdam; Penn Museum, Philadelphia; Brooklyn Museum, New York; the 2019 Venice Biennale and the Henry Moore Institute, Leeds.
Dark Water, Burning World is in the permanent collection of the Pergamonmuseu, Berlin, and the British Museum. For the BBC’s ‘A History of the World in 100 Objects,’ Neil MacGregor (the former Director of the British Museum) chose Dark Water, Burning World as the 101st object.
North Cambridge Academy Interview Issam Kourbaj
The year 8 Arts Ambassadors from North Cambridge Academy interviewed Issam Kourbaj for his exhibition ‘Urgent Archive’ at Kettle’s Yard. With thanks to the artist and students. Filmed and edited by Rob Hill.
Sanctuary at Arbury Court Library
Together artist Issam Kourbaj and the community in North Cambridge have collated a new catalogue of ‘stories of sanctuary’, told through a series of diverse objects belonging to people in the library’s neighbourhood. Documented by photographer My Linh Le, the objects are cradled in the hands of each individual and presented on warm and welcoming acoustic boards in the newly-refurbished Arbury Court Library in Cambridge.
You are not you and home is not home at The Heong Gallery
A concurrent exhibition of work by Issam Kourbaj is taking place at The Heong Gallery, Downing College.
For Issam Kourbaj, home means many things. It is the womb, skin, or clothes as much as it is a tent, a house, or a nation. You are not you and home is not home at The Heong Gallery brings together works on displacement and migration made by the artist since the beginning of the Syrian conflict in 2011.
The Heong Gallery at Downing College was inaugurated by Sir Alan Bowness in February 2016 as a new public gallery for exhibitions of modern and contemporary art. The Gallery was designed by Caruso St John Architects (winners of RIBA Stirling Prize 2016) and so named in gratitude for the generous benefaction of Alwyn Heong.
Stop the Bombs, Not the Boats – A Performance by Issam Kourbaj
On Tuesday 23 April 2024, artist Issam Kourbaj responded to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the UK Government’s passing of its Rwanda bill, through a new performance which was live streamed from the Kettle’s Yard Instagram.
Find out more
The Making of 'Our exile grows a day longer and a day closer is our return'
Curatorial Assistant, Megan Breckell, tells us more about Our exile grows a day longer and a day closer is our return by Issam Kourbaj — a new work created for the exhibition Issam Kourbaj: Urgent Archive.
Get to Know Exhibition Artist Issam Kourbaj
Find out more about Issam Kourbaj, the artist at the centre of our exhibition Issam Kourbaj: Urgent Archive.
Supporters
We are grateful to the following for their generous support:
Issam Kourbaj: Urgent Archive Supporters Circle
Emma Davis
Sean Gorvy
Martin H Johnson FRS, FRCOG, FMedSci, FRSB, FAS
Louisa Macmillan
Suling C Mead
Guy Weston & Ina Sarikhani Weston
and all those who wish to remain anonymous
Access
- The galleries, where exhibitions are shown, and all areas of the Clore Learning Studio (level -1), the Research Space (level 1) and the Ede Room (level 2) are fully accessible.
- We have wheelchair accessible toilets on the lower ground (level -1), ground and first floor (level 1).
- There is a lift giving access to all floors located past the galleries, just beside the Clore Learning Studio on the ground floor.
- Kettle’s Yard welcomes assistance and service dogs in all areas.
- We have large-print versions of the wall text available.
- We can lend visitors small folding seats for taking around exhibitions or using at non-seated events. Please ask a Visitor Assistant for help finding a seat.
Advisory Note
You may find some works in the exhibition distressing as they refer to themes including child loss, war and violence against women.
