Making Environments Hostile

Posted on 28/01/2014 by robertk

A few days ago I got my certificate for Hostile Environment Awareness Training (HEAT) from the Carabinieri in Livorno. The Carabinieri are the Italian counterpart of the Gendarmerie, or Guardia Civil – the police force that depends from the Ministry of Defense. The training was given by the First Paratrooper Regiment (“Tuscania”), who engage in difficult operations abroad, like protecting VIPs in enemy territory or liberating hostages. They are strong, self-confident, good-looking and easy-going Italians, the real stuff, machos beyond posturing. Continue reading →

Security through integration, not isolation

Posted on 21/01/2014 by robertk

Afghan security in front of bombed restaurant in Kabul. Photo by Johannes Eisele for AFP/Getty Images

The news of the bombing of La Taverna du Liban, a Lebanese restaurant in Kabul, reached me while I was following a pre-deployment course for a EU mission in Libya. I think I knew Kamal, the owner of the restaurant, who died in the assault; if it was the same man who set up the restaurant somewhere in 2004-5 (and it seems so from this personal account), he was a hearty, generous man and I regret his death, especially for his children. Continue reading →

Searching for Ancient Arabia

Posted on 06/01/2014 by robertk

I’m about to start a FIND fellowship at New York University Abu Dhabi called ‘Searching for Ancient Arabia’ and I’m looking for artists, curators, critics and scholars to participate in this research project.

Continue reading →

Afghan Urban Housing Dilemma

Posted on 19/12/2013 by robertk

When we visited the mayor’s office during my last trip to Kabul, the deputy mayor, a great fan of Persian poetry, lamented the fact that all the houses currently being built in Kabul are of the ‘international’ (Western) type: a standalone house on a plot of land, surrounded by a bit of garden or walkways, with all windows facing outwards.

Continue reading →

Rich and Poor on the Outskirts of Kabul

Posted on 09/12/2013 by robertk

Today we first went to visit the new city of Omid-e Sabz. It is located improbably far from the city center, about 10 minutes drive West of Darulaman Palace, and close to the southeastern rim of Dasht-e Barchi.

In a way it’s lucky Kabul is surrounded by mountains, otherwise the city would never stop expanding.

Continue reading →

Kabul rising and getting high, 2013

Posted on 08/12/2013 by robertk

Today I guided a Dutch architect researching urban developments in Kabul. After fixing the roaming internet connection on his Apple computer in a record time – praise be to the helpfulness and tech savviness of Afghan shopowners – we drove up TV mountain to take some pictures. He had the good camera, I my phone. The weather was heavily overcast with occasional sunbursts.

Continue reading →

What I would do if I became director of De Appel in Amsterdam

Posted on 06/11/2013 by robertk

De Appel is the intellectual powerhouse of Amsterdam’s art world – or maybe it isn’t anymore, but it still has that reputation. It’s a non-commercial art space that offers a high-level (and world-renown) curatorial program, as well as a study program for gallery staff, it is the place to present contemporary art prizes and projects, and it organizes about 4-5 exhibitions a year.

De Appel is now looking for a director. This is my open application.

Continue reading →

A visit to Nur Agha the kitemaker

Posted on 06/10/2013 by robertk

The signature of Ustad Nur Agha, son of Bejo, which name allegedly comes from the Urdu word ‘becchu’, scorpion

Today I took a few hours off work to visit the master kite maker, Nur Agha, son of Bejo, the famous Kabuli kite maker. Continue reading →

My FCCS friends

Posted on 02/10/2013 by robertk

A creation of master kite-maker Nur Agha, son of Bejo.

Kabul, 2 October 2013

Over the past few days I’ve seen many of my friends that I worked with during my years as founder and director of the Foundation for Culture and Civil Society (2003-2006); in many cases I gave them one of their first proper jobs. In the generous, effusive friendship they now offer me, each of them credits me for their current success as their ‘teacher’. Continue reading →

Ibrahim Abumsmar at the Window in Paris

Posted on 30/09/2013 by robertk

I curated this small exhibition (27-29 September 2013), whose only ambition was to document the two months residency of Ibrahim Abumsmar in Paris – whence the simple title, ‘A Saudi Artist in Paris’. It turned out quite nice.

Below are the wall texts (in French) interspersed with some photographs. More information including links to The Window, the artist and his gallery (Athr) can be found on the previous post ‘A Saudi Artist in Paris‘. Continue reading →

Politics and Art from the Edge

Personal reflections, experiences and publications

Making Environments Hostile

Security through integration, not isolation

Searching for Ancient Arabia

Afghan Urban Housing Dilemma

Rich and Poor on the Outskirts of Kabul

Kabul rising and getting high, 2013

What I would do if I became director of De Appel in Amsterdam

A visit to Nur Agha the kitemaker

My FCCS friends

Ibrahim Abumsmar at the Window in Paris