El Hema blog context

anyMeta 4.19.3 - Atom module 0.3.2 2012-02-16T16:50:55+01:00 http://www.mediamatic.net/feed/atom/18949/nl El Hema blog context http://www.mediamatic.net/id/18751 2009-12-16T12:26:56+01:00 El Hema Ontwerpwedstrijd Inzendingstermijn is verstreken!

El HEMA is van iedereen en nooit af. Dus nodigen we je uit om mee te doen en zelf het beste El HEMA product te ontwerpen! Doe mee met de EL Hema Ontwerpwedstrijd en stuur je eigen ontwerpen voor El HEMA. Dat kan tot 25 oktober 2007 op deze website.

<h2>Wat is een echt El HEMA product?</h2> Een echt El HEMA product: - gaat over Arabische cultuur op een op een mooie en inspirende manier. - maakt verbinding met de hedendaagse maatschappij in Nederland. - heeft humor. - doet een bijdrage aan de ontwikkeling van de cultuur en maatschappij in Nederland. - spreekt en grote groep mensen aan. - gaat respectvol om met mensen en de rest van de wereld. - spreekt publiek aan van diverse culturele achtergrond. - is slim en mooi ontworpen. - is industrieel vervaardigbaar in grote oplage. <h2>Hoe zend ik mijn ontwerp in?</h2> Alle inzendingen worden op de website gedaan. Om je ontwerp in te zenden, moet je eerst lid worden van de Mediamatic.net website. Klik hiervoor op de registreer knop bovenaan deze pagina. Nadat je geregistreerd bent, kun je op de knop +beschrijf hier je El Hema product klikken en je ontwerp omschrijven. <h2>Nominaties</h2> Elke twee weken nomineren we de beste ontwerpen. Als dat kan nemen we ze op in de El HEMA tentoonstelling. De uiterste inzenddatum is 25 oktober 2007, 24:00 uur. <h2>Prijzen en Jury</h2> Op 3 November is El HEMA helemaal af. Tijdens de Museumnacht is dan de feestelijke prijsuitreiking van de El HEMA ontwerpwedstrijd. Met als hoofdprijs een talencursus van vier weken in Damascus, de plek waar het mooiste Arabisch wordt gesproken. Een van de juryleden is Marketingdirecteur René Repko van de HEMA. Alle ingezonden ideeën en ontwerpen blijven eigendom van de inzender. El Hema Design Competition Make your own EL HEMA

The final date for entries to the designcompetion was the 25th of October 2007.

<h2>El Hema Design Competition</h2> Send us your ideas for El HEMA products, or come and show them to us. If you already have developed a product or idea that needs to be in El Hema, submit it here! The competition is about exciting, surprising products in a contemporary environment. <h2>How to submit your project</h2> All the design submissions will be done on the website. To be able to submit a project, you will first need to register for the Mediamatic.net site. Click the button register in the menu at the top of this page. After registering and logging in, you can click on the the green button above +describe your El Hema product here... to start describing your project. Do not forget to click the green button +submit to the El HEMA design competion when you are done describing your project! <h2>Nominations</h2> Every two weeks the best ideas will be nominated to be included in the exhibition. All entries are published on this website. The final deadline is October 25th, 24:00. On November 3rd, El Hema will be completely finished. Then, during Museumnacht, the festive award ceremony will take place. Rene Repko, the marketing director of the real Hema, will be a member of the jury. The first prize is a 4 week language course in Damascus, where the most beautiful Arabic is spoken. All contributed ideas and designs will remain property of he who submitted them. - 4.90982 52.3758 ARTEFACT call competition 1 http://www.mediamatic.net/id/17503 2011-05-24T12:35:37+02:00 El Hema project forum Op 24 augustus 2007 opent de El Hema tentoonstelling. Dit is de on-line ontmoetingsplaats voor deelnemers aan de voorbereidingen. F O R U M - SET forum 1 http://www.mediamatic.net/id/18790 2007-08-13T16:39:00+02:00 Hema in jury ontwerpwedstrijd EL HEMA Gezamenlijk persbericht HEMA en Mediamatic

Amsterdam 27 juli 2007 — In constructief en prettig overleg hebben HEMA en Mediamatic afgesproken dat de tentoonstelling El HEMA zoals gepland doorgang zal vinden. Marketingdirecteur René Repko van HEMA zal zitting nemen in de jury van de El HEMA ontwerpwedstrijd.

El HEMA blijft een project van Mediamatic en blijft onder eindverantwoordelijkheid van Mediamatic. HEMA volgt het project met interesse en nieuwsgierigheid. De vertrekpunten van het project blijven ongewijzigd. Beide partijen erkennen elkaars belangen en komen elkaar hier zoveel als mogelijk in tegemoet. De HEMA ondersteunt het feit dat El HEMA geen polariserende en provocerende doelen heeft, maar juist culturele uitwisseling en samenwerking nastreeft. Afgesproken is dat El HEMA een tijdelijk project is, waarin het duidelijk is dat het gaat om een tentoonstelling in de vorm van een winkel en niet een winkel waar winstgerichte activiteiten worden ontplooid. Producten die tijdens de tentoonstelling worden getoond zullen niet buiten de context van de tentoonstelling worden verspreid. Ook niet door HEMA zelf. ---------------- einde bericht -------------- Voor vragen: Mediamatic: Willem Velthoven, telefoon: 06-46078777 HEMA: Jerry van den Broeke, telefoon: 020-3114245 Persbericht HEMA will function in the jury of the design contest for El HEMA joint press release by HEMA and Mediamatic

Amsterdam, July 27th 2007 - During a constructive discussion HEMA and Mediamatic have agreed to allow the exhibition El HEMA to continue as planned. Marketing director René Repko from HEMA will be in the jury for the El HEMA design competition.

El Hema will remain a project by Mediamatic and Mediamatic will remain fully responsible for it. HEMA is observing the project's developments with interest and curiosity. The foundations of the project will remain unchanged. Both parties acknowledge each others' interests, and will do their best to meet them. The HEMA supports the fact that El HEMA does not have polarizing and provoking purposes, but is aiming for cultural exchange and joint projects. It has been agreed that El Hema is a temporary project, in which it is clean that it is about an exhibition in the form of a store and not a store made for profit. Products on display during the exhibition will not be spread outside of the context of the exhibition. Also not by HEMA. ------- end of message ------ For questions: Mediamatic: Willem Velthoven, tel: 06-46078777 HEMA: Jerry van den Broeke, tel: 020-3114245 Press release - ARTICLE 1 http://www.mediamatic.net/id/18639 2011-03-29T09:43:46+02:00 Hema dreigt met de rechter vanwege de El HEMA tentoonstelling

EXTRA: Mediamatic heeft op vrijdag 27 juli een gesprek met de Directeur Marketing van Hema B.V. over de El Hema. In een brief van 23 juli 2007 aan Mediamatic heeft Hema de 'tone of voice' aangepast ('Hema heeft de voorkeur om tot een constructieve oplossing te komen') maar de Hema blijft bij haar standpunt dat Mediamatic inbreuk maakt op de merk- en auteursrechten. Mediamatic gaat door met de voorbereidingen van El Hema. <h3>Persbericht van Vrijdag 20 juli 2007</h3> Hema B.V dreigt met een kort geding en schadeclaims als Stichting Mediamatic niet onmiddellijk stopt met haar kunstproject El HEMA. El HEMA is een tentoonstelling in het Post CS gebouw rond de vraag “Hoe zou een Arabische HEMA er uit zien?” De tentoonstelling, die op 25 augustus zal openen, maakt deel uit van een serie activiteiten rond Nederlands–Arabische culturele uitwisseling van Mediamatic en anderen.

Mediamatic stelt de vraag naar een Arabische Hema omdat de Hema onlosmakelijk is verbonden met de Nederlandse cultuur. De Hema wordt door de meeste Nederlanders gezien als een verlengstuk van de eigen identiteit. Juist daarom is het interessant de Hema in een Arabische context te plaatsen. Het integratiedebat geeft de vraag naar de Arabische Hema een extra maatschappelijke lading. In een <a href="http://www.mediamatic.net/attachment-18640-nl.html">brief</a> aan Mediamatic zegt de Hema over de tentoonstelling: “Het is onmiskenbaar dat Mediamatic daardoor op ongerechtvaardigde wijze tracht aan te haken bij het door HEMA ontwikkelde concept. Dit leidt dan ook tot verwarringsgevaar bij het publiek. Dit is voor HEMA volstrekt onaanvaardbaar.” Willem Velthoven, bestuursvoorzitter van Mediamatic: “Ik ben enorm verbaasd en teleurgesteld over de agressieve reactie van de Hema. Hoe kan een tentoonstelling nu tot verwarring bij het publiek leiden? Iedereen kent de Hema toch. Wij zijn hier allemaal fans van de Hema. Juist daarom ben ik zo teleurgesteld over de opstelling van de Hema.” Mediamatic blijft hopen op een constructief overleg met de Hema b.v. en wacht voorlopig de ontwikkelingen af. <h3>Over de tentoonstelling</h3> In de tentoonstelling EL HEMA wordt de Hema in een Arabische jas gestoken. Hoe zou een Halal rookworst eruit zien? De aanleiding is een typografisch project van de Khatt foundation. Vijf beroemde Nederlandse typografen hebben, samen met Arabische ontwerpers, vijf nieuwe Arabische letters ontworpen. In de El HEMA tentoonstelling, die van 25 augustus tot 26 oktober bij Mediamatic te zien is, worden deze nieuwe lettertypen gebruikt in de vormgeving. De tentoonstelling wordt samen met de <a href="http://www.khtt.net">Khatt foundation</a> georganiseerd. De tentoonstelling maakt deel uit van een reeks van activiteiten rond Nederlands–Arabische culturele uitwisseling van Mediamatic en de Khatt Foundation, zoals een symposium, een boek en workshops. <h3>Over Mediamatic</h3> Stichting <a href="http://www.mediamatic.net">Mediamatic</a> is een culturele instelling op het gebied van kunst en nieuwe media. Mediamatic geeft workshops, stelt tentoonstellingen samen en organiseert maandelijks een salon. Ook onderhoudt Mediamatic een internationale website over kunst en media met een culturele agenda. Mediamatic is gevestigd in het Post CS gebouw aan de Oosterdokskade in Amsterdam. ------------------------------- einde bericht ------------------- Voor vragen kunt u contact opnemen met Willem Velthoven: 06 4607 8777 Stichting Mediamatic 020 – 6389901 (en via pers@mediamatic.net). <a href="http://www.mediamatic.net/attachment-18640-nl.html">Hema brief (pdf)</a> Persbericht Hema threatens with legal action because of the El Hema exhibition

EXTRA: Mediamatic will meet with the Hema B.V.'s Director of Marketing on Friday the 27th of July. In a letter postdated the 23rd of July 2007, the Hema has changed their tone of voice ('The Hema prefers a constructive solution') but the Hema maintains that Mediamatic is breaching their trademark. Mediamatic is continuing with the preparations of El Hema. <h2>Pressrelease from Friday July 20th</h2> Hema B.V. is threatening with legal action and damage claims if Mediamatic Foundation does not immediately halt its art project El HEMA. El HEMA is an exhibition in the Post CS building based on the question: "How would an Arabic HEMA look like?". The exhibition, which will open on the 24th of August, is part of a series of activities concerning Dutch-Arabic cultural exchange by Mediamatic and others.

Mediamatic is working on an Arabic Hema because the Hema is inherently bound to Dutch culture. The Dutch see the Hema as an extension of their own cultural identity. This makes it especially interesting to place the Hema in an Arabic context. The debate on social integration gives the Arabic Hema added social weight. In a letter to Mediamatic concerning the exhibition the Hema states: "It is unmistakable that Mediamatic is unjustly trying to hook into the concepts developed by the Hema. This can confuse the public, and is completely unacceptable to the Hema." Willem Velthoven, board director at Mediamatic: "I am extremely surprised and disappointed by the Hema's aggressive reaction. How can an exhibition lead to confusion of the public? Everyone knows the Hema. We are all fans of the Hema here. That is why I am especially disappointed by their attitude." Mediamatic is still hoping for some constructive talks with the Hema, and will be waiting on further developments. <h3>About the Exhibition</h3> In the exhibition EL HEMA the Hema will be given an Arabic twist. What would a halal sausage look like? The point of departure is a typographic project from the Khatt Foundation. Five famous Dutch typographers and Arabic designers have made five new Arabic fonts. The new fonts will be included in the designs for the El Hema exhibition, which will run from August 24th to October 26th at Mediamatic. The exhibition will be organized together with the Khatt Foundation. The exhibition is part of a series of Dutch - Arabic exchange projects by Mediamatic and the Khatt Foundation, such as a symposium, a book and workshops. <h3>About Mediamatic</h3> Mediamatic Foundation is a cultural institution on art and new media. Mediamatic gives workshops, organizes exhibitions and runs a monthly salon. Mediamatic also maintains an international website on art and media with a cultural agenda. Mediamatic is located at the Post CS building on the Oosterdokskade in Amsterdam. <h3>About the Hema</h3> The Hema is a Dutch warehouse which produces most of its products itself. It is famous for its clear Dutch design and affordable prices. It was created in 1926 and was the Netherlands' first franchise. --------End-------- For questions you can contact Willem Velthoven: 06 46078777 Mediamatic Foundation: 020 638 9901 <a href="http://www.mediamatic.net/attachment-18640-nl.html">Letter from the Hema (pdf)</a> Press release - ARTICLE 1 http://www.mediamatic.net/id/18794 2012-01-31T11:00:10+01:00 El HEMA in de media Televisie, radio, kranten en andere media

Overzicht van media-aandacht voor El HEMA.

<h3>Televisie en video</h3> Bekijk de nieuws-items op televisie: het <a href="http://portal.omroep.nl/mplayer?mpstream=wmbb&mpurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcgi%2Eomroep%2Enl%2Fcgi-bin%2Fstreams?%2Fnos%2Fnieuws%2F2007%2Faugustus%2Fvideo%2F20070824%2Felhema%2Ewmv&body=Amsterdam%20heeft%20een%20nieuwe%20HEMA%2E%20En%20hij%20heet%20EL%20HEMA%2E%20Aan%20de%20Oosterdokkade%20is%20het%20nieuwe%20filiaal%20ingericht%20met%20de%20vertrouwde%20HEMA-spulletjes%2C%20maar%20net%20even%20anders%2C%20en%20met%20alle%20teksten%20in%20het%20Arabisch%2E%20En%20om%20die%20teksten%20gaat%20het%2C%20of%20liever%20gezegd%20om%20de%20letters%2E%20Want%20het%20is%20een%20slimme%20presentatie%20van%20nieuwe%20Arabische%20lettertypes%2E&titel=Hema%20met%20Arabisch%20tintje%3A%20El%20Hema&genre=Journaal&nav=xagrnCsHEbGcZtHjIfK&refered=ukdrnCsHEbGcZtHnSopBzoB">NOS Journaal</a> en <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKX_je-kEd0">NOVA</a> van 24 augustus, de <a href="http://www.at5.nl/speler_at5nieuws.asp?newsid=28954">Amsterdamse zender AT5</a> (25 augustus) en videoverslagen van <a href="http://www.ad.nl/amsterdam/article1606723.ece">het Algemeen Dagblad</a>, <a href="http://www.geenstijl.nl/mt/archieven/1006631.html">Geenstijl.nl</a>, het lifestyle magazine <a href="http://www.bright.nl/node/4649">Bright</a> , <a href="http://cgi.omroep.nl/cgi-bin/streams?/id/NMO/serie/AUTO_INFOCUS/NMO_13052007/bb.infocuselhema.asf">Nederlandse Moslim Omroep</a> , <a href="http://www.webregio.nl/104011021500421191/El+Hema-expositie+verlengd+tot+2008+video.aspx">Webregio</a>, en El HEMA wint <a href="http://www.blikopnieuws.nl/bericht/60857">de Nederlandse Design Prijs</a>. Al eerder maakte het <a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/MFjKSj8kN-Y">NOS Journaal op 3</a> (1 augustus), <a href="http://www.at5.nl/speler_at5nieuws.asp?newsid=28273">AT5</a> (24 juli) en <a href="http://www.zoomin.tv/videoplayer/index.cfm?fuseaction=videolaunch&video_id=257507&pid=trouw&nbg=ftv">RTV Noord Holland</a> (20 juli 2007) items over El HEMA. <h3>Kranten en magazines</h3> Lees in Dagblad Trouw over <a href="http://www.trouw.nl/hetnieuws/nederland/article778166.ece/Hollandse_Hema_op_z_n_Arabisch">El HEMA & FabLab</a> en over de <a href="http://www.trouw.nl/deverdieping/overigeartikelen/article779795.ece/De_politieke_lading_van_een_Arabisch_lettertype">kritiek op de nieuwe Arabische lettertypen</a>, over de typografie in <a href="http://www.depers.nl/cultuur/96027/Geen-heiligschennis-maar-gewone-letters.html">Dagblad De Pers</a>, <a href="http://www.lindalee.nl/Mediamatic.pdf">interview met Willem Velthoven in Dzone (pdf)</a> artikelen in het <a href="http://www.ad.nl/cultuurenshow/article1606723.ece">Algemeen Dagblad</a>, het <a href="http://www.nd.nl/document.aspx?document=nd_artikel&vorigDocument=&id=98445">Nederlands Dagblad</a>, over de <a href="http://www.nieuwsuitamsterdam.nl/2007/08/el_hema.htm">'Arabische AnAmsterdam'</a>, of de <a href="http://www.brabantsdagblad.nl/kunst/article1791751.ece">'indirecte ode aan de HEMA'</a> in o.a. Parool en Brabants Dagblad. In De Volkskrant een <a href="http://extra.volkskrant.nl/animatie/fotospecial/specials/index.php?id=242">foto-overzicht</a> en al eerder een verslag over <a href="http://www.volkskrant.nl/kunst/article448524.ece/Drukbezochte_koopavond_in_nieuwe_El_Hema">de El Hema Koopavond</a>. Voor een <a href="http://www.nrc.nl/kunst/article897509.ece/Alles_werd_halal_geproduceerd">terugblik op El HEMA</a> door de oprichters van Mediamatic bekijk NRC Handelsblad. <h3>Columns</h3> Lees ook de columns van parlementariër <a href="http://www.nieuwnieuws.nl/archives/2007/08/column_van_bommel_el_hema.html">Harrie van Bommel</a> en Max van Weezel over zijn nieuwe El HEMA T-shirt in <a href="http://www.vn.nl/Opinie/MaxVanWeezel/ArtikelMaxVanWeezel/NieuwT-shirt.htm">Vrij Nederland</a> of de kritische beschouwing bij de <a href="http://www.wereldomroep.nl/actua/nl/cultuur/Elhema070827">Wereldomroep</a>. <h3>Meer lezen...</h3> Meer lezen, of benieuwd naar de reacties van lezers? Bekijk het overzicht over <a href="http://news.google.nl/news?q=el%20hema&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&sa=N&tab=wn">El HEMA in Google nieuws</a>, met daarin honderden berichten over de tentoonstelling in de Nederlandse media. <h3>Radio</h3> Beluister het radio-interview over EL HEMA met Willem Velthoven van Mediamatic bij het <a href="http://download.omroep.nl/vpro/de_ochtenden,_binnenland_24_jul_2007.mp3">radioprogramma De Ochtenden</a> (mp3) van de VPRO op dinsdag 24 juli om 09.30. En op 7 januari 2008 blikte Willem uitgebreid terug op de El HEMA bij <a href="http://www.bnr.nl/static/jspx/play.jspx?datum=07/01/2008&tijd=15:38:50&lengte=15">Bussiness News Radio</a>. <h3>Meer bekijken...</h3> Diverse video's over El HEMA staan op de groep <a href="http://www.youtube.com/group/elhema">YouTube/elhema</a>. Aanvullingen op dit overzicht en bijdragen voor de YouTube groep zijn welkom via <a href="mailto:pers@mediamatic.net.">pers [at] mediamatic.net.</a> <h3>Kosmopolis adopteert El Hema</h3> De tentoonstelling en winkel EL HEMA reist in 2008 met Kosmopolis door Nederland. Het multimediale platform <a href="http://www.kosmopolis.nl">Kosmopolis</a> maakte vandaag bekend dat zij de El HEMA adopteert. De El HEMA is in mei te zien in Utrecht, in juni en juli in Den Haag en in augustus en september Rotterdam. EL HEMA is een initiatief van Mediamatic en was van 24 augustus 2007 t/m 6 januari 2008 te zien. De aanleiding voor de denkbeeldige Arabische HEMA waren vijf nieuwe Arabische digitale lettertypen. De tentoonstelling trok ruim 50.000 bezoekers en won de Nederlandse Design Prijs in de categorie Visuele Identiteit. Lees meer over <a href="http://www.mediamatic.net/elhema">El HEMA</a>. <object width="407" height="306" class="inline-object wiki-youtube"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/f55tk2Gtwtw&fs=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed class="inline-object wiki-youtube" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/f55tk2Gtwtw&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent" width="407" height="306"></embed></object> <object width="407" height="306" class="inline-object wiki-youtube"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/PKPzWMIf0uY&fs=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed class="inline-object wiki-youtube" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/PKPzWMIf0uY&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent" width="407" height="306"></embed></object> Persaandacht - ARTICLE navigation 1 http://www.mediamatic.net/id/19248 2012-01-12T01:40:24+01:00 El Hema Koopavond 8 Forbidden topics, moves and grooves - The 8th El Hema weekly meeting proved to be a melodious blend of music, dance and literature.

As the white entrance hall to the Mediamatic exhibition room gradually became a vivacious red, inside the room music blazed, hips shimmied and taboos no longer were taboos. El Hema exhibit opened on August 24 in the ground floor of the Post CS building.

<h6>The Design</h6> “We decided to have all the floor tiles white and blue with Arabesque patterns on the white tiles,” graphic design intern Wael Morcos said Thursday at the 8th weekly El Hema meeting. “We’re also testing the printers and colors to make sure we have the same red everywhere.” The labels for the chocolate Arabic letters have been designed. Now, what is needed is to make all 29 letters so that people will be able to choose their Arab initials, similar to the chocolate letters Hema makes available during the Christmas season. Pillows with Arab letters and patterns have also been designed and the El Hema clothing line still needs to be finished Morcos added. All in due time. For now, Thursday evening’s meeting was an exchange of sensual visuals, sounds and words. <a href="http://www.mediamatic.net/id/19341"></a><a title="Vergroot afbeelding - El Hema Koopavond 8: Forbidden topics, moves and grooves at Mediamatic - Mediamatic.net" href="">El Hema Koopavond 8: Forbidden topics, moves and grooves at Mediamatic</a> <h6>Forbidden Words</h6> Writer Raouf Moussad Basta began by sharing his take on forbidden topics in Egyptian and Arabic literature. “We live in two different schools of language,” Basta began, “the written and the spoken language.” The written Arabic language, he explained, is the language of the Koran and is considered holy. While the spoken language is “wider and active and accepts the world from outside.” <a href="http://www.mediamatic.net/19342/en/osama-speaking-during-the-el-hema-koopavond"> <img src="http://fast.mediamatic.nl/f/sjnh/image/026/19342-321-400.jpg" height="400" width="321" alt="" title="Osama speaking during the El HEMA Koopavond" playable="1"/> </a><a title="Vergroot afbeelding - Osama speaking during the El HEMA Koopavond - Mediamatic.net" href="/19342/en/osama-speaking-during-the-el-hema-koopavond">Osama speaking during the El HEMA Koopavond</a> In order to write about necessary sexual topics often considered taboo, Basta said he switched to the spoken language when he wrote his books. Nevertheless, this still caused outrage because of the three censorships on issues dealing with morals, politics and religion in the Arab world. And a new Internet censorship is rising especially for young people with blogs, he said. “Even when I’m working [on the internet] from home, I know I’m being observed by Big Brother… I know it’s risky, but I can’t stop the temptation to write.” <h6>Male Belly Dancer</h6> Ossama Abu Amar, a social worker and belly dancer extraordinaire, further discussed how dialogue can begin with a single dance. For starters, Amar has been practicing a dance normally thought to be exclusively feminine for eight years now, raks sharki or oriental dancing. The French began calling it belly dancing, he said, but to him it’s simply oriental dancing. In some countries, oriental dancing was “traditionally a man’s dance because women were not allowed to entertain other men,” Amar said. Hence, men would dress as women and entertain the men. <a href="http://www.mediamatic.net/19343/en/el-hema-koopavond-8-forbidden-topics-moves-and"> <img src="http://fast.mediamatic.nl/f/sjnh/image/831/19343-400-267.jpg" height="267" width="400" alt="" title="El Hema Koopavond 8: Forbidden topics, moves and grooves at Mediamatic" playable="1"/> </a><a title="Vergroot afbeelding - El Hema Koopavond 8: Forbidden topics, moves and grooves at Mediamatic - Mediamatic.net" href="/19343/en/el-hema-koopavond-8-forbidden-topics-moves-and">El Hema Koopavond 8: Forbidden topics, moves and grooves at Mediamatic</a> He further explained that in Arab culture, dancing begins at home, especially at family parties. His sister taught him how to dance, he said. However, when boys reach approximately 12 years of age, “they’re not allowed to do it anymore. They say it’s more for women.” Clearly Amar continued to dance and he continues to spark discussions by stepping outside the boundaries set by society. <h6>Middle Eastern Beats</h6> Similarly, DJ Safri, fed up with the techno and electro music scene in Europe, stepped outside the musical boundaries to bring Middle Eastern dance music to the Netherlands. DJ Safri said when he was growing up he was exposed to a wide variety of music and developed a taste for Eastern music that he couldn’t explain. Now Safri skillfully combines Western music with Eastern and Asian music so that it’s “interesting to as many people as possible.” <a href="http://www.mediamatic.net/19347/en/wael-amp-maria-trying-a-khamsa-shirt"> <img src="http://fast.mediamatic.nl/f/sjnh/image/387/19347-267-400.jpg" height="400" width="267" alt="" title="Wael &amp; Maria trying a Khamsa shirt" playable="1"/> </a><a title="Vergroot afbeelding - Wael & Maria trying a Khamsa shirt - Mediamatic.net" href="/19347/en/wael-amp-maria-trying-a-khamsa-shirt">Wael & Maria trying a Khamsa shirt</a> His goal is to have a dance floor comprised of 50 percent Dutch people and 50 percent non-Dutch—but that’s proved to be difficult. In the United Kingdom where there is a large population of Moroccan immigrants and the immigrants are more open-minded, Safri said, such innovative combinations of music are more popular. “In Holland unfortunately it’s not the same. To Dutch people it all sounds the same and they either love it or leave it.” Fortunately for Safri, most of the people at the meeting (that was approximately 50/50) seemed enthusiastic towards his music. And, most agreed that music is a good way to bring people together. “When you see them on the dance floor you don’t see a difference anymore—the music gets people together,” Amar said. JoAnn DeLuna http://www.mediamatic.net/id/18765 4.90982 52.3758 ARTEFACT event salon 1 http://www.mediamatic.net/id/18926 2011-03-29T09:43:44+02:00 El Hema Koopavond 7 First Arabic chocolate letter - The 7th El Hema Thursday meeting revealed many new developments, including the first Arabic chocolate letter.

Mediamatic unveiled the first Arabic chocolate letter—possibly ever made—at the 7th weekly meeting for the upcoming El Hema exhibition. The letter, created by Bernardo Gaeiras, signified only one of the many progressions discussed for the exhibit which was set to open on August 24.

<h6>Chocolate Letters</h6> The idea directly coincides with the organizers’ concept of creating an Arabic version of the Netherlands’ Hema chain stores to publicize the release of five new Arabic fonts. By creating products with Arab inspired culture, El Hema organizers hope to expose locals to Arab culture through script design. The proposal to create chocolate Arab letters was inspired by the traditional chocolate letters available at Hema stores during Christmas time. “Kids usually receive their initials for Christmas,” Gaeiras said. <a href="http://www.mediamatic.net/19093/en/presentation-about-standardising-el-hema-tags"> <img src="http://fast.mediamatic.nl/f/sjnh/image/180/19093-300-400.jpg" height="400" width="300" alt="" title="Presentation about standardising El HEMA tags" playable="1"/> </a><a title="Vergroot afbeelding - Presentation about standardising El HEMA tags - Mediamatic.net" href="/19093/en/presentation-about-standardising-el-hema-tags">Presentation about standardising El HEMA tags</a> The plan is to produce molds for all 19 shapes of the 29-letter Arab alphabet. Willem Velthoven, Mediamatic, said a chocolate company has already shown interest in producing the letters. However, with the exhibit less than 20 days away, it would be quite costly and time consuming to make molds for all 19 letters, Baeiras said. It took him one and a half days to create one mold with a kit that cost about 50 euros. Negotiations are still being made. Similarly, measures are also being taken to produce a do-it-yourself stamp kit designed by graphic design intern Maria Hakim. <a href="http://www.mediamatic.net/19095/en/arabisch-voedsel"> <img src="http://fast.mediamatic.nl/f/sjnh/image/313/19095-400-388.jpg" height="388" width="400" alt="" title="Arabisch Voedsel" playable="1"/> </a><a title="Vergroot afbeelding - Arabisch Voedsel - Mediamatic.net" href="/19095/en/arabisch-voedsel">Arabisch Voedsel</a> <h6>Design Updates</h6> The meeting further demonstrated how up-to-speed the resourceful and talented five Arab intern designers responsible for designing El Hema products can be. “Hema has a new logo, so we have to do the same,” graphic design intern Wael Morcos said as he introduced a second version of El Hema logos. Intern Khajag Apelian, responsible for standardizing the price tags and labels for the exhibit’s products, said Hema still uses the old logo for about 90 percent of its products, but is gradually integrating their new logo design in their stores. <a href="http://www.mediamatic.net/19096/en/bernardo-made-the-first-arabic-chocolate-letter"> <img src="http://fast.mediamatic.nl/f/sjnh/image/955/19096-300-400.jpg" height="400" width="300" alt="" title="Bernardo made the first Arabic Chocolate Letter" playable="1"/> </a><a title="Vergroot afbeelding - Bernardo made the first Arabic Chocolate Letter - Mediamatic.net" href="/19096/en/bernardo-made-the-first-arabic-chocolate-letter">Bernardo made the first Arabic Chocolate Letter</a> “This is the first time in my life that I can see legible Arabic tags,” Huda Smitshuijzen Abifares, El Hema Coordinator, said of the new designs. “It’s very convincing how quick you guys reengineered the designs.” Designer Abrar Al-Musallam and Raya Tueny also updated attendees on their latest apparel creations, which were originally displayed on the 9:30 p.m. Dutch news the night before. “Your breasts will look beautiful with potatoes and olives” and “You’re all butter, where can I start,” will be some of the lines that will be printed in Arabic on the trendy t-shirts designed by Al-Musallam. The pick up lines were taken from Kuwait, Morroco, Lebanon and Egypt. “It may sound a little lame, but in Arabic it’s poetic and it rhymes,” Al-Musallam said. <a href="http://www.mediamatic.net/19097/en/el-hema-koopavond-7"> <img src="http://fast.mediamatic.nl/f/sjnh/image/683/19097-400-300.jpg" height="300" width="400" alt="" title="El HEMA Koopavond 7" playable="1"/> </a><a title="Vergroot afbeelding - El HEMA Koopavond 7 - Mediamatic.net" href="/19097/en/el-hema-koopavond-7">El HEMA Koopavond 7</a> Velthoven also disclosed the upcoming availability of a fabrication laboratory, which will allow Mediamatic staff and exhibit-goers to make two and three dimensional designs on a small scale, for example computerized stencils, with professional assistance. The fablab will be available at every Mediamatic exhibit from now on, he said. “People can come in and get support for producing prototypes for their ideas.” <h6>New Developments</h6> As with every Thursday meeting, the night would not have been complete without new people, inspirations, collaborations and exotic foods. Movie maker Nienke Brokke screened her short animated film Tegelvertellingen, inspired by a fusion of Dutch and Arab cultures, as well as traditional fairy tales. Brokke said she wanted to play with the concept of happy endings and “the superstitions we have with the Arab world.” The cartoon, animated in a Delft blue motif, displayed a “typical” Dutch man infatuated with a crying woman trapped in a windmill. After he rescues her, and where a traditional fairy tale would normally end, the film continues to show the man locking the woman in yet another windmill with other women. <a href="http://www.mediamatic.net/19098/en/raya-tueny-presenting-the-cut-up-djeballah"> <img src="http://fast.mediamatic.nl/f/sjnh/image/874/19098-400-300.jpg" height="300" width="400" alt="" title="Raya Tueny presenting the Cut Up Djeballah" playable="1"/> </a><a title="Vergroot afbeelding - Raya Tueny presenting the Cut Up Djeballah - Mediamatic.net" href="/19098/en/raya-tueny-presenting-the-cut-up-djeballah">Raya Tueny presenting the Cut Up Djeballah</a> “We point fingers, yet we’re doing things we accuse other cultures of doing—I hate that.” After attending her first Thursday meeting last week, henna-tattoo artist Etty Elbaz-Griffioen returned with newly found inspiration. She presented the organizers with ideas for redesigning De Ruijter’s hagelslag (chocolate sprinkles for bread) with a very sensual henna touch. “[Hagelslag] is very Dutch. What will be different is the package with Arabic symbols.” Elbaz-Griffioen also suggested a new set of colors for paint, such as Henna Red, Mint Green and Blue Eye. <a href="http://www.mediamatic.net/19099/en/presenting-the-el-hema-interior-signs"> <img src="http://fast.mediamatic.nl/f/sjnh/image/777/19099-400-300.jpg" height="300" width="400" alt="" title="Presenting the El HEMA interior signs" playable="1"/> </a><a title="Vergroot afbeelding - Presenting the El HEMA interior signs - Mediamatic.net" href="/19099/en/presenting-the-el-hema-interior-signs">Presenting the El HEMA interior signs</a> Although most of the organizers, workers and volunteers agree they now have a clearer idea of where the project is heading and what their roles are compared to last week, others admit there is still more that can be done. Soad Bouchertouf, a clothing advisor for the exhibiton, said more foreigners involved in the project and actually going to the Arab countries “to taste” would help develop the exhibit more. “More time would also help. It’s still developing but it’s got a lot of potential.” JoAnn DeLuna http://www.mediamatic.net/id/18765 4.90982 52.3758 ARTEFACT event presentation salon 1 http://www.mediamatic.net/id/18764 2012-01-12T01:40:20+01:00 El Hema Koopavond 6 The weekly cultural exchange - Thursday brainstorming sessions for El Hema exhibition double as a community cultural forum, bringing together individuals from all realms of art.

Good Arabs, “Bad Arabs,” nostalgic Arabs, distinguished Arabs, non-Arabs and everything in between. Contemporary design, films, fashion, history, literature, henna and even delicious Middle Eastern food. What are intended to be weekly Thursday meetings to discuss the progression of the upcoming El Hema exhibition are fast becoming memorable evenings of cultural exchange.

<h6>The Exhibit</h6> “It’s quite rare to have an informal setting where one can sit with people, share research or work in progress—even share a meal together,” said independent curator Nat Muller who attended the 6th weekly Thursday meeting for the first time. The exhibit, set to open August 24, will be an inventive way to display five new Arabic fonts by utilizing them in products likely to be found in an Arabic version of a pseudo-Hema store. Tarek Atrissi, an art director for the El Hema exhibition and one of 10 new font designers, said everyone working on the project has their own specific task. Thursday meetings are a forum for communicating the progress on logo designs, products, clothing, architectural advancements and even the legal status of the exhibit, he said. <a href="http://www.mediamatic.net/18798/nl/willem-velthoven-showing-the-khamsa-tank-top"> <img src="http://fast.mediamatic.nl/f/sjnh/image/087/18798-267-400.jpg" height="400" width="267" alt="" title="Willem Velthoven showing the Khamsa Tank-Top" playable="1"/> </a><a title="Vergroot afbeelding - Willem Velthoven showing the Khamsa Tank-Top - Mediamatic.net" href="/18798/nl/willem-velthoven-showing-the-khamsa-tank-top">Willem Velthoven showing the Khamsa Tank-Top</a> “It’s a way to show how things are coming along, as well as inspire those interested in Arab art to come along and show what they have and get ideas on merging both worlds,” Atrissi said. Because the aim of the project was not entirely clear in the beginning when the brainstorming for the project began six weeks ago, Atrissi said the Amsterdam community was invited to attend the Thursday meetings in order to collect and exchange ideas between the designers and those interested in Arabic culture. <a href="http://www.mediamatic.net/18803/nl/el-hema-koopavond-6-the-weekly-cultural-exchange"> <img src="http://fast.mediamatic.nl/f/sjnh/image/206/18803-267-400.jpg" height="400" width="267" alt="" title="El Hema koopavond 6: The weekly cultural exchange at Mediamatic" playable="1"/> </a><a title="Vergroot afbeelding - El Hema koopavond 6: The weekly cultural exchange at Mediamatic - Mediamatic.net" href="/18803/nl/el-hema-koopavond-6-the-weekly-cultural-exchange">El Hema koopavond 6: The weekly cultural exchange at Mediamatic</a> <h6>Highlights</h6> Mediamatic invited Muller to the meeting because of her experience with media and art in the Middle East. Her screening of three short films by Middle Eastern directors towards the end of the evening was a favorite of the night. Muller said she chose the films because they each portray the danger of stereotypes, for example, by taking stereotypes to an extreme as in the case of “Planet of the Arabs.” She cautions that organizers of El Hema should be careful not to fall into the very stereotypes they are trying to break. <a href="http://www.mediamatic.net/18804/nl/joann-deluna-taking-notes-from-raouf-mousad-basta"> <img src="http://fast.mediamatic.nl/f/sjnh/image/239/18804-400-267.jpg" height="267" width="400" alt="" title="Joann DeLuna taking notes from Raouf Mousad Basta" playable="1"/> </a><a title="Vergroot afbeelding - Joann DeLuna taking notes from Raouf Mousad Basta - Mediamatic.net" href="/18804/nl/joann-deluna-taking-notes-from-raouf-mousad-basta">Joann DeLuna taking notes from Raouf Mousad Basta</a> “I’m very curious to see how it will all turn out,” Muller said. “[El Hema] holds integrity and potential, but if it’s not done smartly it can fall into Orientalism.” The five graphic design interns from Lebanon and Dubai working on El Hema also introduced the design concepts behind the five new fonts. The designers further explained that most of the new fonts could be used for long texts, such as magazines, as well as large displays. “It’s influenced by past fonts but in a very modern way,” intern Raya Tueny said of the new Fresco font. <a href="http://www.mediamatic.net/18801/nl/arabic-food"> <img src="http://fast.mediamatic.nl/f/sjnh/image/960/18801-267-400.jpg" height="400" width="267" alt="" title="Arabic food" playable="1"/> </a><a title="Vergroot afbeelding - Arabic food - Mediamatic.net" href="/18801/nl/arabic-food">Arabic food</a> After legal status and merchandise updates, Etty Elbaz-Griffioen an Arab-Jew born in Jerusalem who now lives in the Netherlands, gave an intimate presentation of her henna tattoo art form, which complemented the font theme of the evening. Egyptian writer Raouf Mokssad Basta who now lives in Amsterdam, attended the meeting hoping to offer his literature background to the project, but said he was a bit confused about what organizers are trying to do with the project, he said. “I’m interested in the idea.” Both Muller and Basta said they enjoyed the Thursday meetings and would continue to attend and possibly be more involved in the final exhibit. “I think the Mediamatic people who direct the meetings are very open for ideas and want to listen to Arabs about the project,” Basta said. JoAnn DeLuna http://www.mediamatic.net/id/18765 4.90982 52.3758 ARTEFACT event 1 http://www.mediamatic.net/id/18623 2012-01-12T01:40:19+01:00 El Hema koopavond 5 Photo report - 4.90982 52.3758 ARTEFACT event 1 http://www.mediamatic.net/id/18373 2012-01-12T01:40:18+01:00 El Hema Koopavond 4 dit keer met libanees eten

Ook dit keer kon iedereen langs komen om nieuwe ideeen te delen in voor een project over (op dat moment nog) een denkbeeldige arabische hema. Deze werd later ook daadwerkelijk gerealiseerd.

It was another inspirational Thursday evening at the ground floor of the Post CS building. Maaike Gottschal presented Arabic basics; simple but beautiful white clothes - blank canvasses for the new Arabic type fonts and other mix'n play decorations. We discussed printing techniques, like silk screen printing, using stamps, transfer print etc. The food was provided by restaurant Beyrouth from Kinkerstraat. - 4.90982 52.3758 ARTEFACT event presentation 1