On Friendship/(Collateral Damage) III - The Third GaLUT:
Baghdad, Jerusalem, Amsterdam

The Guest becomes Host

September 7th 2019 - January 19th 2020, 36 locations
Metropool International Art Projects Curator: Linda Bouws

Joseph Sassoon Semah shares his lost rich Jewish Babylonian cultural heritage through art, performances and debates. He asks the public to review their own art, culture, traditions and identity.
The manifestation took place mainly in 36 different public locations in Amsterdam September 7th 2019 - January 19th 2020.

'On Friendship/(Collateral Damage) III - The Third GaLUT: Baghdad, Jerusalem, Amsterdam' is an aesthetic and poetic research into the cities Baghdad, Jerusalem and Amsterdam, which has been conceived by artist Joseph Sassoon Semah and curated by Linda Bouws (Metropool International Art Projects). All these cities are said to have been tolerant at some time in their history, but how does that relate to 'otherness' and what does it mean today?
The project focuses on two lines of thought.
The first is what Semah called 'The Third GaLUT', the third Exile, a metaphor for disconnectedness.
The second is 'The Guest', he who is allowed to live and work in a foreign context tests his surroundings the very moment he articulates his particular position in exile without any reservations.
The Guest becomes Host.

'On Friendship/(Collateral Damage) III - The Third GaLUT: Baghdad, Jerusalem, Amsterdam' was realised in part with the support of AFK, BPD Cultuurfonds, Lumen Travo Gallery, Mondriaan Fonds and Redstone Natuursteen & Projecten.

Joseph Sassoon Semah
Joseph Sassoon Semah was born in Baghdad (Iraq, 1948), as one of the last of a Babylonian Jewish family lineage, the grandson of Chief Rabbi Hacham Sassoon Kadoori (1885-1971). Kadoori was the head of the Babylonian Jewish community and preached of peace between Judaism, Islam and Christianity. Baghdad once was one of the most diverse and tolerant cities in the world. The Babylonian Jews in Iraq were one of the oldest and historically seen, the most important Jewish community. The Talmud Bavli was compiled in Babylon and during the British mandate in the 1920s, the well-educated Jews played an important role in public life. But from 1948, the year of independence for Israel, life for Jews in Iraq becomes extremely difficult. Between 1950-1952, 120.000 - 130.000 Iraqi Jews were transported to Israel. The displaced Baghdadi Jews were forced to leave behind their culture and possessions in Iraq. Semah, together with his parents was displaced to the State of Israel in 1950. His grandfather Hacham Sassoon Kadoori refused to leave Iraq and stayed in Bagdhad until his death. As a Babylonian Jew who emigrated to the West (Amsterdam), he is part of GaLUT (Exile), an endless cycle of diaspora and return. You long for your country of birth and search for a way to relate to your cultural heritage and traditions. Heritage reminds us of our history.

The richly illustrated publication
"Joseph Sassoon Semah -
On Friendship / (Collateral Damage) III - The Third GaLUT: Baghdad, Jerusalem, Amsterdam
".

 

The publication can now be ordered:

Stichting Metropool Internationale Kunstprojecten,

€ 39.95 and € 5 shipping costs,

rek.nr. NL 42 INGB 0006 9281 68
stating On Friendship III, name and address.

lindabouws@gmail.com 

The richly illustrated publication "Joseph Sassoon Semah - On Friendship / (Collateral Damage) III - The Third GaLUT: Baghdad, Jerusalem, Amsterdam" will be published in October 2020. 

The publication is initiated by Metropool International Art Projects, Amsterdam, 2020.
Contact: lindabouws@gmail.com 
Final editing: Linda Bouws & Joseph Sassoon Semah
Layout & design geert schriever amsterdam

With contributions from:
Prof. Dr. Emile Schrijver (Joods Cultureel Kwartier Amsterdam)
Oreach Natah Lalun: Reflections on the concept of the Jewish artist as Guest Joseph Sassoon Semah THE THIRD גלות GaLUT Remapping the Memory of the Guest
Dr. Arie Hartog (Gerhard-Marcks-Haus, Bremen) The Third Exile: recovering the traditions of asymmetry
Dr. Margriet Schavemaker (Amsterdam Museum) Compelling footnotes - Joseph Semah and the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam Professor
dr. Ella Shohat (New York University) Remainders Revisited: An Exilic Journey from Hakham Sasson Khdhuri to Joseph Sassoon Semah
Rick Vercauteren (publicist) From deliberate destruction to concise reconstructions
Mati Shemoelof (poet and author, Berlin) How to Explain Hair hunting to a Dead German Artist
Dr. Yael Almog (Durham University) Ritual Judaism: Ages of Diaspora
Linda Bouws (Metropool International Art Projects)
Joseph Sassoon Semah: Re-thinking the concept of the GaLUT, re-claiming the lost culture

Activities
Joseph Sassoon Semah shared his lost rich Jewish Babylonian cultural heritage through unique architectural models, new pieces of art, performances, debates, lectures, round-table discussions, video-interviews, articles on diverse platforms, a research - and a video-report. At all the locations a unique architectural art-model was on show for at least a month. The 36 architectural models stand on 72 folding sawhorses (wood, white woven cotton band, 2 wooden sawhorses, 50x50x130 cm). Simultaneously in Amsterdam, and Jerusalem a small house was built: MaKOM in MaKOM.

Photos architectural models: Ilya Rabinovich





1.
Location: Lumen Travo Gallery Lijnbaansgracht 314, AMSTERDAM
Date: September 7th - October 26th 2019
Exhibition, performance, opening 'On Friendship/(Collateral Damage) III - The Third GaLUT: Baghdad, Jerusalem, Amsterdam', September 7th, 17.00 hrs. Lumen Travo Gallery, the gallery of Joseph Sassoon Semah, was the home of the entire event.
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2.
Location: Advocatenkantoor Bynkershoek Herengracht 310, AMSTERDAM
Date: September 24th - October 6th 2019
Architectural model and private meeting September 24th, 18.00 hrs.
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3.
Location: Goethe-Institut Herengracht 470, AMSTERDAM
Date: September 12th - October 18th 2019
Exhibition, performance and lecture, September 12th, 20.00 hrs.
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4.
Location: Aslan Muziekcentrum Corantijnstraat 9, AMSTERDAM
Date: September 15th - October 13th 2019
Architectural model, performances with students.
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5.
Location: UvA, Faculteit des Geesteswetenschappen P.C. Hoofthuis, Spuistraat 134, AMSTERDAM
Date: September 18th - October 18th 2019
Architectoral model, September 18th, Lecture and visit Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam
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6.
Location: prof. mr. E.J. (Egbert) Dommering
Date: September 19th - October 19th 2019
Architectoral model and private meeting September 19th, 19.00 hrs.
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7.
Location: Gallery ARTTRA Tweede Boomdwarsstraat 4, AMSTERDAM
Date: October 5th - October 30th 2019
Exhibition: opening October 5th, 2019, 17.00 hrs.
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8.
Location: Museum Hedendaagse Kunst De Domijnen Ligne 5, SITTARD
Date: October 20th 2019 - February 16th 2020
Architectoral model, performance, 2 meetings, and solo exhibition Joseph Sassoon Semah: opening October 11th, 13.00 hrs.
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9.
Location: Oude Lutherse Kerk Singel 411, AMSTERDAM
Date: October 13th - November 10th 2019
Architectoral model, performance and meeting: October 13th, 12.15 hrs.
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10.
Location: Podium Mozaïek Bos en Lommerweg 191, AMSTERDAM
Date: October 17th - November 17th 2019
Architectural model, performance and meeting: October 17th, 19.30 hrs.
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11.
Location: Kunstenaarsboekwinkel Boekie-Woekie Berenstraat 16, AMSTERDAM
Date: October 19th - November 15th 2019
Architectural model and meeting: opening October 19th, 2019, 17.00 hrs.
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12.
Location: Werkgebouw het Veem Van Diemenstraat 410-412, AMSTERDAM
Date: October 25th - November 24th 2019
Architectural model and meeting: November 25th, 2019, 20.00 hrs.
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13.
Location: Embassy of the Free Mind Keizersgracht 123, AMSTERDAM
Date: October 31st 2019,19.00 hrs.
Architectural model and lecture
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14.
Location: Hermitage Amsterdam Nieuwe Keizersgracht 1, AMSTERDAM
Date: November 2nd - December 2nd 2019
Architectural model, house MaKOM in MaKOM on the bleachfield, performance, opening Night of the Museum 2 November, 19.00 hrs.
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15.
Location: Vrijmetselaars Stichting Amsterdam Vondelstraat 39, AMSTERDAM
Date: November 3rd - December 1st 2019
Architectural model, performance and meeting November 3rd, 2019, 14.00 hrs.
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16.
Location: Fatih Moskee Rozengracht 150 AMSTERDAM
Date: November 14th - December 12th 2019
Architectural model
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17.
Location: Locus Solus (Artist in Practise) Oudezijds Voorburgwal 131, AMSTERDAM
Date: November 16th - December 14th 2019
Architectural model, exhibition Joseph Sassoon Semah, Franck Gribling and Peter Baren, performance and meeting
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18.
Location: Hilton Hotel Apollolaan 138, AMSTERDAM
Date: November 17th - December 15th 2019
Architectoral model, film and meeting November 17th, 2019, 15.00 hrs.
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19.
Location: Anne Frank Huis Keizersgracht 192, AMSTERDAM
Date: November 21st - December 19th 2019
Architectural model and meeting: November 21st, 2019, 15.00 hrs.
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20.
Location: Amsterdam Museum Regentenkamer Kalverstraat 92 AMSTERDAM
Date: November 23rd 2019 - January 6th 2020
Architectural model: 'New Narratives', 23th and 24th of November guided tours with Joseph Sassoon Semah
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21.
Location: Architectenbureau Jowa Prinsengracht 526 AMSTERDAM
Date: November 28th - December 29th 2019
Architectoral model and private meeting: November 28th, 2019, 17.00 hrs
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22.
Location: UvA, Faculteit des Geesteswetenschappen Bushuis, Kloveniersburgwal 48 AMSTERDAM
Date: December 2nd 2019 - January 19th 2020
Architectural model, meeting and screening of 'Forget Bagdad'.
Keynote Lecture: SPUI25, AMSTERDAM; December 2nd, 2019, 17.00 hrs.
Goethe-Institut: screening of 'Forget Baghdad'; 19.30 hrs.
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23.
Location: Kunstenaarssociëteit Arti et Amicitiae Rokin 112, 1012 LB AMSTERDAM
Date: December 3rd 2019 - January 6th 2020
Architectural model, exhibition, performance and meeting: December 3rd, 2019, 16.30 hrs.
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24.
Location: Vrij Paleis Paleisstraat 107 AMSTERDAM
Date: December 6th 2019 - January 5th 2020
Architectural model
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25.
Location: Voormalig Burgerweeshuis van Aldo van Eyck, IJsbaanpad 1, AMSTERDAM
Date: December 10th 2019 - February 8th 2020
Architectural model, exhibition of art by Joseph Sassoon Semah from the BPD-Collection, a new series of drawings, and a meeting: December 10th, 2019, 19.00 hrs.
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26.
Location: AMSU Weesperzijde 34 AMSTERDAM
Date: December 12th 2019 - January 12th 2020
Architectoral model and private meeting December 12th, 2019, 17.00 hrs.
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27.
Location: Ton's autohal Disketteweg 15, AMSTERDAM
Date: December 16th 2019 - January 16th 2020
Architectural model, opening December 16th, 2019, 17.00 hrs.
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28.
Location: Rijwielhandel Oud -West Frederik Hendrikstraat 59-61, AMSTERDAM
Date: December 17th 2019 - January 17th 2020, opening December 17th 2019, 17.00 hrs.
Architectural model
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29.
Location: Schaak en Gowinkel Het Paard Haarlemmerdijk 173, AMSTERDAM
Date: December 18th 2019 - January 18th 2020
Architectural model in the display window and Joseph Sassoon Semah's 'Chess game' Opening: 18 December 2019, 17.00 hrs.
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30.
Location: het voormalig kunstcentrum Stichting Makkom Haarlemmerdijk 39, AMSTERDAM
Date: December 18th - January 18th 2020
Architectural model was displayed in the window of the former art-centre Stichting Makkom, where the shop Restored is now located. Opening: December 18th, 2019, 15.00 hrs.
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31.
Location: Redstone Natuursteen & Projecten Benit 28, AMSTERDAM
Date: December 19th 2019 - January 19th 2020
Architectoral model, City of Shelter and exhibition with all the 36 architectural models.
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32.
Location: Joods Historisch Museum Nieuwe Amstelstraat 1, AMSTERDAM
Date: December 19th 2019 - January 19th 2020
Architectural model, exhibition, performance and meeting January 16th, 14.00 hrs.
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33.
Location: Joods Liberale Gemeenschap Zuidelijke Wandelweg 41, AMSTERDAM
Date: December 21st 2019 - January 19th 2020
Architectural model
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34.
Location: Stadhuis Amsterdam, room of City Council Member for Art and Culture Amstel I, AMSTERDAM
Date: December 19th 2019 - January 19th 2020
Architectural model
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35.
Location: INIT, Het Parool, Trouw, de Volkskrant, Jacob Bontiusstraat 9, AMSTERDAM
Date: December 19th 2019 - January 19th 2020
Architectural model
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36.
Location: Secret Location
Date: ...
Architectural model
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