Tewa Barnosa (b. 1998) is a Tripoli-born interdisciplinary artist, curator and cultural programmer, whose conceptual methods expands from critical curiosity- and intuitive based knowledge production, Barnosa’s body of work consists of audio-visual installations, video loops, sound essays, and calligraphic sculptures, synchronized and programmed into Led pixels or run by midi-controllers, electronic paints on electronic objects that are her tools and toys of investigating territories on the margins, providing system loopholes for dis-obedience, dis-ruption and structures of decay; Silence, the Silenced and the Silencers are often found as the protagonists of her stories and sceneries.
Scenography in Barnosa’s work explores languages that are ancient, modern and imaginary, Her expanded paintings on several surfaces, panels and canvas, suggests an anti-holiness around teachings of traditional Arabic calligraphy, using methods passed on to her by Tripoli’s elders and calligraphy masters, with the vandalism yet preservation of the Tifinagh script of her mother tongue. an early Calligrafitti from the Acacus mountains of Libya 15,000 BC, Natively and naturally, she vocalizes the mythical and ritualistic experiences of her upbringing into the texts and writing forms emerging from her poetry practice, becoming her manuscripts of the era.
In the territory of artistic and critical investigations, She is a frontline artist, The Green Book 1975 (A Libyan manifesto of a 3rd universal theory) has been a cynical perspective yet a major focus of her archival efforts, curatorial approach and mapping, tracing neglected acts of tyranny, She produces material evidences on the plot-twists of utopian ideologies that often results in war-laboratories, and current western mercenary tourism in and around African city/sky/landscapes.
Barnosa’s curatorial, collaborative and publishing practices emerged in relationality to WaraQ foundation for arts and culture, an entity she founded in 2015, the seventeen years old at the time began experimenting with alternative methods of curatorial caring and educational programming, what begun as cultural gatherings with family & friends, soon established first critical grounds for art spaces/organization after 2011 revolution, contributing to the making of collective cultural conversations during ongoing Libyan civil wars; WaraQ is now an art Laboratory + nomadic infrastructure of knowledge sharing and community reflections/contributions.
Barnosa’s work has been exhibited across diferent spatial environemts from white cube galleires and institutions, former prison cells, the public space across Libya, Tunisia, Morocco, Italy, Spain, France, Germany, The Netherlands, Ireland and The UK.
C.V ︎
PORTFOLIO ︎
ARTIST STATEMENT ︎
SOLO SHOWS:
- Cursed and Sacred
Iwalewa African art awards
Bayrueth, Germany
2021
- Out of place
Curated by Adnan Misal
Uqbar Space, Berlin, Germany
2019
- Silence
Galeria David Gallo, Milano, Italy
2018
AWARDS & RESIDENCIES:
- Iwalewahaus African artists award 2021
- Artist prize 68 projects space in partnership with Contemporary art alliance 2019, Berlin
- Artist residency at Casa Arabe, Cordoba, September 2019
- A journey of belonging Studio residency, 2019, CAA berlin
- Support the supporters fellowship, Hosted by CoCulture, Awarded by Martin Roth initiative 2019/2020
- European cultural foundation mobility grant, 2018
- Start-up weekend 1st place winner for best project plan, Tripoli 2013
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS:
2022:
- Open Studios, Artists in residence 2021/2022
Rijksakademie
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Resilient Grounds, Nurturing Soil
- Curated by Yara Said
SALWA Foundation at CASCO
Utrecht, The Netherlands
- How to Ascertain time?”
SAVVY Contemporay
Berlin, Germany
2021
- Solo exhibition: Cursed and Sacred
Iwalewa African art awards
October, Bayrueth, Germany
- Hotel Sahara
Magasins généraux, Paris
01.06.2021
- Shifting Sands
WaraQ art foundation
Tripoli, May 2021
- Open sesame: A photophobic experiment
Curated by Erkan Affan
Bärenzwinger Berlin
January - March 2021
2020:
- New Spaces/New perspectives
Curated by Maritta Iselar
Mercator Projektzentrum, Berlin
13.03.2020 - 28.02.2021
- Common Grounds
68 Project space, Berlin
13.08.2020 - 05.09.2020
2019 :
- Dwaya Annual Exhibition
Gallery Arabeske, Heidelberg
Supported by Heinrich Böll Stiftung
- Untoured
After europe festival
Sophiensalle, Berlin
- Retracing a disapearing landscape
Curated by Najla Alageli
Casa arabe, Cordoba
- ISUSU Afrofuturism festival,
Beke'ch Berlin, 22 August
- New spaces New perspective
Curated by Maritta Iselar
Mercator Foundation, Essesn
- Freedom Transmissions, CoCulture
Haus Ungarn, Berlin
- A journey of belonging ll
CAA contemporary art alliance, Berlin
- Out of place solo exhibition
Curated by Adnan Misal
Mutterzunge Berlin
2018 :
Common past common future festival of performances in public space // Vienna
Sahara: What’s written will remain // Gallerie Delle Prigioni, Treviso
Imago Mundi collection // Benetton foundation, Treviso
Dwaya calligraphy exhibition // Taher Haddad cultural house | Tunis
Retracing a disappearing landscape // Curated by Najla Alageli at P21 gallery London
Across Borders // Curated by the artist at 12-14 contemporary | Vienna
Neither Here Nor there // Curated by Variant collective at The foundry | London
Retracing a disappearing landscape // Curated by Najla Alageli | Casa arabe | Madrid
2017 :
Radical Love female lust // The crypt gallery | London
For Libya exhibition // French cultural institute | Tunis
Warning // WaraQ art foundation | Tripoli
Across Borders // Swab art fair | Barcelona
Radical Love female lust // Gallery X | Dublin
Dwaya Annual Calligraphy exhibition // Dar Alfaghih Hassan | Tripoli
2016 :
Textural Threads // curated by Noon arts | AWAN festival | London
Aura // curated by Rawan Muntasser and British council Libya | Tripoli
Dwaya annual calligraphy exhibition // Dar Alfaghih Hassan | Tripoli
Nushu’o // Dar alfaghih hassan | Tripoli
Talks, gatherings and workshops:
Arts, Identity and solidarity, Liverpool arab arts festival, July 2020
Navigating orientalism in contemporary western society, organized by Queer arab barty, Vorpiel Berlin
BlackBox Libya, Panel discussion, Heinrich böll Stiftung, Berlin
Freedom Transmissions, The long night of ideas, Haus Ungarn
Life in exile, Keynote speech, Körber Stiftung, Hamburg
Music freedom day, Panel discussion, by Safemuse at Kulture house, Oslo
Sahara: What’s written will remain | Gallerie delle prigioni | Italy
Art within Conflict, Talk about curatorial practices in Libya - Cast arabe - Madrid
Arts, Rights and Justice forum, The ministry of foreign affairs | Berlin
Culture, Identity and diversity Speaker at Global media forum | duetche welle
Stable and changing variables Speaker at Tedx youth Alssarim | Tripoli
Meet the artist talk at the opening of Gallerie delle prigioni | Treviso
History of the Libyan art scene Discussion Moderator at Waraq art foundation
Art in public space (The city is our gallery) Discussion Moderator at Waraq foundation
C.V ︎
PORTFOLIO ︎
ARTIST STATEMENT ︎
SOLO SHOWS:
- Cursed and Sacred
Iwalewa African art awards
Bayrueth, Germany
2021
- Out of place
Curated by Adnan Misal
Uqbar Space, Berlin, Germany
2019
- Silence
Galeria David Gallo, Milano, Italy
2018
AWARDS & RESIDENCIES:
- Iwalewahaus African artists award 2021
- Artist prize 68 projects space in partnership with Contemporary art alliance 2019, Berlin
- Artist residency at Casa Arabe, Cordoba, September 2019
- A journey of belonging Studio residency, 2019, CAA berlin
- Support the supporters fellowship, Hosted by CoCulture, Awarded by Martin Roth initiative 2019/2020
- European cultural foundation mobility grant, 2018
- Start-up weekend 1st place winner for best project plan, Tripoli 2013
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS:
2022:
- Open Studios, Artists in residence 2021/2022
Rijksakademie
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Resilient Grounds, Nurturing Soil
- Curated by Yara Said
SALWA Foundation at CASCO
Utrecht, The Netherlands
- How to Ascertain time?”
SAVVY Contemporay
Berlin, Germany
2021
- Solo exhibition: Cursed and Sacred
Iwalewa African art awards
October, Bayrueth, Germany
- Hotel Sahara
Magasins généraux, Paris
01.06.2021
- Shifting Sands
WaraQ art foundation
Tripoli, May 2021
- Open sesame: A photophobic experiment
Curated by Erkan Affan
Bärenzwinger Berlin
January - March 2021
2020:
- New Spaces/New perspectives
Curated by Maritta Iselar
Mercator Projektzentrum, Berlin
13.03.2020 - 28.02.2021
- Common Grounds
68 Project space, Berlin
13.08.2020 - 05.09.2020
2019 :
- Dwaya Annual Exhibition
Gallery Arabeske, Heidelberg
Supported by Heinrich Böll Stiftung
- Untoured
After europe festival
Sophiensalle, Berlin
- Retracing a disapearing landscape
Curated by Najla Alageli
Casa arabe, Cordoba
- ISUSU Afrofuturism festival,
Beke'ch Berlin, 22 August
- New spaces New perspective
Curated by Maritta Iselar
Mercator Foundation, Essesn
- Freedom Transmissions, CoCulture
Haus Ungarn, Berlin
- A journey of belonging ll
CAA contemporary art alliance, Berlin
- Out of place solo exhibition
Curated by Adnan Misal
Mutterzunge Berlin
2018 :
Common past common future festival of performances in public space // Vienna
Sahara: What’s written will remain // Gallerie Delle Prigioni, Treviso
Imago Mundi collection // Benetton foundation, Treviso
Dwaya calligraphy exhibition // Taher Haddad cultural house | Tunis
Retracing a disappearing landscape // Curated by Najla Alageli at P21 gallery London
Across Borders // Curated by the artist at 12-14 contemporary | Vienna
Neither Here Nor there // Curated by Variant collective at The foundry | London
Retracing a disappearing landscape // Curated by Najla Alageli | Casa arabe | Madrid
2017 :
Radical Love female lust // The crypt gallery | London
For Libya exhibition // French cultural institute | Tunis
Warning // WaraQ art foundation | Tripoli
Across Borders // Swab art fair | Barcelona
Radical Love female lust // Gallery X | Dublin
Dwaya Annual Calligraphy exhibition // Dar Alfaghih Hassan | Tripoli
2016 :
Textural Threads // curated by Noon arts | AWAN festival | London
Aura // curated by Rawan Muntasser and British council Libya | Tripoli
Dwaya annual calligraphy exhibition // Dar Alfaghih Hassan | Tripoli
Nushu’o // Dar alfaghih hassan | Tripoli
Talks, gatherings and workshops:
Arts, Identity and solidarity, Liverpool arab arts festival, July 2020
Navigating orientalism in contemporary western society, organized by Queer arab barty, Vorpiel Berlin
BlackBox Libya, Panel discussion, Heinrich böll Stiftung, Berlin
Freedom Transmissions, The long night of ideas, Haus Ungarn
Life in exile, Keynote speech, Körber Stiftung, Hamburg
Music freedom day, Panel discussion, by Safemuse at Kulture house, Oslo
Sahara: What’s written will remain | Gallerie delle prigioni | Italy
Art within Conflict, Talk about curatorial practices in Libya - Cast arabe - Madrid
Arts, Rights and Justice forum, The ministry of foreign affairs | Berlin
Culture, Identity and diversity Speaker at Global media forum | duetche welle
Stable and changing variables Speaker at Tedx youth Alssarim | Tripoli
Meet the artist talk at the opening of Gallerie delle prigioni | Treviso
History of the Libyan art scene Discussion Moderator at Waraq art foundation
Art in public space (The city is our gallery) Discussion Moderator at Waraq foundation