Larissa Sansour
Nationality: Palestinian
Born in Jerusalem 1973, Larissa Sansour studied Fine Art in Copenhagen, London and New York, and graduated with a master’s degree in Fine Art from New York University.
Her work is interdisciplinary, immersed in the current political dialogue and utilizes video art, digital photography, experimental documentary as well as the internet.
Sansour’s work has been exhibited worldwide in galleries, museums as well as film festivals. Her most notable upcoming shows include the Tate Modern in London, UK, in May and the National Museum of Queen Sofia in Madrid, Spain, in September 2007.
Besides videos, she has recently been commissioned to create a mega-billboard for the Images of the Middle East festival that took place in Copenhagen, Denmark, in the summer of 2006.
She has also helped in the curatorial process of the exhibition Coding:De-Coding last September for the Nikolaj Contemporary Art Gallery in Copenhagen, Denmark. She is currently co-curating the Mid East Screen festival that will take place this year in Denmark and Modca in 2009.
Sansour’s work is presented in multiple venues ranging from the Debalie annual web fest of Genius Minds in The Netherlands, the Culturebase net to lectures at the Copenhagen University.
In addition, she works on productions for the independently run artists’ channel TV-TV in Copenhagen.
Sansour is currently an International board member at the new concept educational school Chaos Pilots where she also contributes with her writing on arts, politics and education.
Lives and works in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Larissa Sansour is participating in
2007
VideoChannel – video project environments
VIP – VideoChannel Interview Project
2006
Title:
Selfportrait, digital print, 2005
Education
1998- 2000 New York University, New York, USA. MA in Art.
1999 The Royal Art Academy, Copenhagen, Denmark. Visiting student.
1997- 1998 University of Baltimore, Maryland County, USA. Art history and criticism.
1993- 1994 American College in London, UK. Computer animation and video art.
1992- 1995 Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, Maryland, USA. BFA.
1991- 1992 Byam Shaw, London, UK. Concentration in figurative art.
1990- 1991 Blake College, London, UK. Foundation in Fine Art.
Solo exhibitions
2007 Hip Hip, Today, Skagen Museum, Skagen, Denmark.
2006 The Dark Side of Citrus, Al-Khahef Gallery, Dar Annadwa, Bethlehem, Palestine.
2004 Welcome to Gaza, Kragh&Halling Art, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Gaza and Peace Activists, International Bethlehem Centre, Palestine.
2003 Palestine Remastered, Kragh&Halling Art, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Selected group exhibitions
2008 Visible and Invisible Spaces, A touring exhibition, USA.
Secrets, 6+, Glass Curtain Gallery, Columbia College Chicago, Chicago, USA.
2007 Media Art Festival, Friesland, Harlingen, The Netherlands.
Spooky Truths, Red Cross Culture House, Copenhagen, Denmark.
The Breath, Contemporary Art Platform, London, UK.
FILE-2007, SESI Gallery, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Algiers Arab Culture Capital Exhibition, Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Algiers, Algeria.
Not on Satellite, The National Museum of Queen Sofia, Madrid, Spain.
Reality Check, FACT, Liverpool, UK.
Tasten Festival, Sophiensaele, Berlin, Germany.
In Focus, Tate Modern, London, UK.
Multiple Voices/Other Ways, VIDEOFORMES 07, Paris, France.
Paranoia, Freud Museum, London, UK.
Secrets, 6+, The Dairy Centre for the Arts, Boulder, Colorado, USA.
://selfportrait, – a show for Bethlehem, Macro Museo Arte Contemporaneo, Rosario, Argentina.
2006 Gstaadfilm, International Short Film Festival for Art Films, Gstaad, Switzerland.
VIII International Digital Art Exhibit, Pablo de la Torriente Cultural Centre, Havana, Cuba.
://selfportrait – a show for Bethlehem, Casoria International Museum of Contemporary Art, Italy.
://selfportrait – a show for Bethlehem, Officyna Art Space, Szczecin, Poland.
://selfportrait – a show for Bethlehem, MAC – Museum of Contemporary Art, Santa Fe, Argentina.
Intro Out, Xilourgio, Mulos Cultural Centre, Greece.
Coding-De-Coding, Museum of Contemporary Art, Roskilde, Denmark.
Coding-De-Coding, Nikolaj Contemporary Art Centre, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Efterårsudstilling, Charlottenborg, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Paranoia, Focal Point Gallery, Southend, UK.
Paranoia, Leeds City Arts Gallery, Leeds, UK.
Secrets, 6+, Al-Hoash National Gallery, Jerusalem, Palestine.
Secrets, 6+, International Centre of Bethlehem, Bethlehem Palestine.
Secrets, 6+, Sakakini Cultural Centre, Ramallah, Palestine.
://selfportrait – a show for Bethlehem, Cave Gallery, Bethlehem, Palestine.
Impressions from Bethlehem, Cologne City Hall, Cologne, Germany.
Insomnia, The Courtauld Institute of Art, London, UK.
Adding Insult to Imagery, Central Missouri State University, Missouri, USA.
Adding Insult to Imagery, Kipp Gallery, Pennsylvania, USA.
2005 Tulca Live, Galway, Ireland.
International Media Art Festival, Yerevan, Armenia.
prog:ME, Centro Cultural Telemar, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Re-Act, Nikolaj Contemporary Art Centre, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Stena, Central House of Writers, Moscow, Russia.
Couleurs Assiégées, Maison de L’Unesco, Paris, France.
2003 Forårsudstillingen, Charlottenborg, Copenhagen, Denmark.
2002 Forårsudstillingen, Charlottenborg, Copenhagen, Denmark.
2000 M.A. Thesis Show, 80 Washington Square East Galleries, New York, USA.
1996 Third Annual Juried Show, Savage Mill Gallery, Savage, Maryland, USA.
1995 Out of Order, Maryland Art Place, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
1994 Alienation, Fox Gallery, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
1993 Inside/Outside, Decker Gallery, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
1992 Waiting, Meyerhoff Gallery, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Festivals and screenings
2007
DocuDays: Beirut International Documentary Festival, Beirut, Lebanon.
29th Mediterranean Film Festival of Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
Uppsala International Short Film Festival, Uppsala, Sweden. (nominated for the Grand Prix).
Festival du Film Libanais, né à Beyrouth, Beirut, Lebanon.
Nightcomers, Mekan 34, Istanbul, Turkey.
The 8th International Exile Film Festival, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Amal Film Festival, Fundacion Araguaney, A Coruña, Spain.
11th Annual Arab Film Festival, San Francisco, California, USA.
Boston Palestine Film Festival, Boston, USA.
Second International video Festival, Cairo, Egypt.
International Arab Film Festival, Oran, Algeria.
Festival Songes d’une nuit DV, Paris, France.
International Short Film Festival Kratkofil, Banjaluka, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
A Corte Di Donne (III Edizione), Pozzuoli, Naples, Italy.
28th Durban International Film Festival, Centre for Creative Arts, Durban, South Africa.
Bethlehem Bandolero, Vis Din Film, Caféteatret, Copenhagen, Denmark.
The Oslo Short Film Festival, Oslo, Norway.
Mobile Zones, Yerba Buena For the Arts, San Francisco, USA.
Houston Palestine Film Fest, Texas, USA.
Mobile Zones, Film Platform, Verdenskulturcentret, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Index Generator 2.2., The Cog Collective, Candid Arts Trust, London, UK.
The London Palestine Film Festival, The Barbican, London, UK.
Vis Din Film, Caféteatret, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Chicago Palestine Film Festival, Chicago, USA.
Laisle Relax, Espaco 27, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
2006
Reverberations, Centro Cultural da Juventude, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Routes, Vester-Vow-Vow, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Routes, Roskilde Contemporary Art Museum, Roskilde, Denmark.
Scandinavian Short Film Festival, ATA, San Francisco, California, USA.
LA Freewaves, Media Arts Website, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Taksi, Autobus Pictures, Los Angeles, California, USA.
28th Mediterranean Film festival of Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
The Kerry Film Festival, Kerry, Ireland.
Amal 06 Film Festival, Coruña, Spain.
Shashat Women’s Film Festival, touring show, Palestine.
Cinematexas International Short Film Festival, Austin, Texas.
Flexiff 4th Edition Digital Film Festival, Sydney, Australia.
Her Voice, Her View, Pioneer Theatre, New York City, USA.
London Palestine Film Festival, London, Canada.
WOCMES Film Festival, Amman, Jordan.
Athens Video Art Festival, Athens, Greece.
Chicago Palestine Film Festival, Chicago, USA.
Videonale 2006, Berlin, Germany.
London Palestine Film Festival, Barbican Centre, London, UK.
Politik i Film og Litteratur, FilmPlatform, Literaturhaus, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Video Active-ISM, Hotel Proforma, Axelborg, Copenhagen, Denmark.
2005
Dreams and Trauma, Haus Der Kulturen Der Welt, Berlin, Germany.
Trampoline, Broadway Cinema, Nottingham, England.
Videoraum.net, Valencia, Spain.
The Chilean International Short Film Festival, Santiago, Chile.
The Kerry Film Festival, Kerry, Ireland.
Sligo Short Digital Film Festival, Sligo, Ireland.
Luksuz Film Festival, Krsko, Slovenia.
Bayennale, San Francisco, USA.
Synthetic Zero, New York, USA.
International Video Art Festival, Ferrara, Italy.
Max5, London, England.
2nd International Independent Video/Film Festival, Vienna, Austria.
International Video Art Screening, Kaliningrad, Russia.
Spark Video, Syracuse, New York, USA.
2004
Ramallah International Film Festival, Ramallah, Palestine.
Television and the Internet
2007 Soup Over Bethlehem, BBC ARABIC.com.
Severed Routes, TV-TV, Copenhagen Art Channel, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Europe Now, Europe Next, www.europe.culturebase.net.
2006 Deadline (News Feature), DR2, Danish Public Television, Copenhagen, Denmark.
2006 DR 2, (Oufa’s Fredmission), Danish Public Television, Copenhagen, Denmark.
2005 One hour interview, TV-TV, Copenhagen Art Channel, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Videos
2007
Sbara
Land Confiscation Order 06/24/T (10 minutes)
Run Lara Run (in progress)
2006 Severed Routes, (30 minutes), A documentary.
Mloukhieh (10 minutes)
Mobile War Zones, a collaboration with Khaled D. Ramadan (16 minutes)
Happy Days (3 min.)
The Dark Side of Citrus (10 min.)
2005 Bethlehem Bandolero (5 min. 39 sec.)
2004 Moscow Metro (5 min. 8 sec.)
Gaza (3 min. 59 sec.)
Segregation Wall (11 min. 23 sec.)
2003 Peace Activists vs. Israeli Tank (6 min.)
Residencies, grants and awards
2007
Artists Workshop residency at Phoenix Arts, Supported by Arts Council England, ArtSpace, Portsmouth, UK.
Braziers International Workshop, Oxford shire, UK.
In Focus, Tate Modern exhibition, Danish Arts Council travel grant.
Hip Hip Today, Danish Arts Council, (Grant for artistic production and exhibition).
2006 Copenhagen County grant for video production, Project Routes, Brændstof, Denmark.
The Helle and Arenth Jacobsens grant for young artists.
2006/07
Images of the Middle East Campaign, Center for Kultur og Udvikling, mega-billboards and other visuals, (funding and co-production).
2006
Charlottenborgs Efterårsudstillng, Charlottenborg Fond, (grant and support).
2006
Paranoia, touring exhibition in the UK, Danish Arts Council travel grant.
2006
Mobile War Zones, Co-production with Khaled D. Ramadan, (Chamber of Public Secrets).
2006
Danish Arts Council, (Grant for artistic production and exhibition).
2005
Artist in residence, International Centre of Bethlehem, Bethlehem, Palestine.
2004
Honorary Award, Ramallah International Film Festival.
Membership
International board member, KaosPilots, Ã…rhus, Denmark.
Selected bibliography
Tone Andersen, Subtile Inntrykk, Palestina, Norway, June, 2007.
Jim Quilty, Tricking her audience into feeling compassion, The Daily Star (Lebanon), June, 2007.
Nat Muller, Tampering with the P(e)ace of Stasis: Artistic Practices of Trespassing in the Work of Larissa Sansour, .dpi, no 8, February, Canada, 2007.
Olivia Snaije, Why Is Everyone Paranoid?, The Daily Star (Lebanon), January, 2007.
Kean Wong, Coding: Decoding, Universes in Universe, October, 2006.
Yousef Shayeb, Shashat, Al-Ayam, Palestine, September, 2006.
Jiries Abu Ghnam, Secrets at Alkhahf, Al-Quds, Jerusalem, September, 2006.
Amira El-Nakeeb, A Hall of Mirrors, Al-Ahram, Egypt, September, 2006.
Pierre Abi Saab, Demark Makes Peace with Islam, Al-Akhbar, Lebanon, August, 2006.
Sonia Nettnin, Bethlehem Bandolero, Scoop, New Zealand, May 2006.
Maymanah Farhat, Bethlehem Bandolero, The Electronic Intifada, May 2006.
Dieter Buchhart and Anna Karina Hofbauer, Re-act Catalogue, Informations Forlag, Denmark, 2005.
Boel Gerell, Det nödvändiga motståndet, Kvällsposten, Sweden, May 2005.
Velkommen til Gaza, Alalam TV Channel, Copenhagen, Denmark, August 2004.
Velkommen til Gaza, Politiken, Copenhagen, Denmark, August 2004.
Hadani Ditmars, Ramallah film festival packs in nomads, camel, dignitaries and true fans, San Fransisco Chronicle, July 2004.
Carmen Pavlovich, West Bank Warms to Catharsis of Film, The Australian, July 2004.
Sheila Whitaker, The Show Goes On, The Observer, July 2004.
Tom Jørgensen, Sprudlende Forårsudstilling, Kunstavisen, March 2003.
Ole Nørlyng, Forårsfornemmelser, Berlingske Tidende, Copenhagen, March 2003.
Peter Michael Hornung, Forårsbål, Politiken, Copenhagen, March 2003.
Camilla Jalving, Kunstnerisk Forår, Kristeligt Dagblad, Copenhagen, March 2003.
Pernille Anker Kristensen, Farver I Udbrud, Morgenavisen Jyllandsposten, Copenhagen, March 2003.
Mette-Line Thorup, Kulturfusion, Information, Copenhagen, September 1999.
Links
*Tate Modern
http://www.infocusdialogue.com
* Skagen Museum (Hip Hip Today)
http://www.tv2nord.dk/default.asp?PageID=5&NewsCategoryID=1&NewsID=150275
* Article by Rotterdam based critic and curator Nat Muller.
http://dpi.studioxx.org/index.php?id=101
* Videos on YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=larissa+sansour&search=Search
* Sakakini
www.sakakini.org/visualarts/sansour.htm
* Culturebase.net
http://www.europe.culturebase.net/contribution.php?media=148
* 6 plus art collective
http://www.6plus.org/visiting_artist.html
*Artists Space
http://afonline.artistsspace.org/view_artist.php?aid=758
* Paranoia
http://www.aionarap.com/aionarap/pile.php?pile_name=Artists&item=Larissa
*Article by Maymannah Farhat
http://electronicintifada.net/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi/12/4719
*Article by Sonia Nettnin
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0605/S00267.htm
*Coding: Decoding by Kean Wong
http://universes-in-universe.org/eng/islamic_world/articles/2006/coding_decoding/photos/06