mohit.art
contact@mohit.art
mohit.art is a transnational network that promotes, initiates, facilitates, and supports virtual and live contemporary visual arts projects in Iran and Germany, as well as in neighbouring countries in the Middle Eastern region and beyond, and throughout Europe. Our mission is to enhance the cultural dialogue by consolidating continuous exchange and cooperation.
We enable joint action between galleries, contemporary art museums and collections, estates, archives, art associations, academic institutes, art fairs and auction houses, art book publishers, magazines and online portals, festivals and biennials, artists, curators, art historians, art critics, journalists, writers, and networkers.
Continuing cultural and artistic cooperation in times of sustained tensions and mutual alienation is of crucial importance to us. Artists in the global south are confronted with normative exclusions due to a lack of reflection on the global north’s persistent claim to hegemony, which is compounded by Europe’s colonial past and present. Considering the global loss of political credibility and the challenges of achieving common objectives in intercultural relations, transnational networks are an essential instrument for continuing dialogue and exchange. The art scenes in Middle Eastern and European cultures, with their long histories of transmigration and diasporic identities, have many topics and interests in common.
Our activities start in December 2021 with a focus on Iran and Germany and will broaden in 2022. Our web platform will continuously provide new content and information in the form of texts, images, videos, and live streams. Our online and live projects will be available in seven different formats: 1) Online and print publications, 2) exhibitions: virtual and/or live, 3) art archives: presented online, 4) events: virtual and live panels and screenings, 5) context: online presentations of artists and art environments, 6) education: online talks, workshops, and seminars, and 7) network: a directory of relevant institutions and actors in the field.
Many of mohit.art’s activities address “key issues”. Key issues present discourses in specific (local) visual contexts and establish profound connections between different cultures by creating shared means of understanding, thereby enabling meetings and events. mohit.art’s key issues will be incorporated into our different formats and expanded over a longer period.
Words define our cultures. mohit.art enables broad accessibility, extensive international dissemination, and showcases the beauty of diverse languages. All our texts and information will be available in English as well as in the languages originally written by the authors. There will be texts in German, Farsi, French, Turkish, Arabic, Dutch, and Azerbaijani, to name a few.
“Mohit” is a word in many different languages: In Farsi, Arabic, and Turkish, it means circuit, environment, atmosphere, and community, among other meanings. “Mohit” inspires our actions: we want to build relationships in many different places; we want to actively engage with diverse environments and boost participation; we want to create a stimulating atmosphere that encourages presentations of art and contextual discussions; through our network, we want to build a transnational community of individuals working in the arts.
mohit.art is operated by a small team based in Berlin, Germany. Our members include Dr. Bernd Fechner – cultural manager, photography expert, and networker; Hannah Jacobi – art historian, curator and author specializing in global art; and Golnaz Mohammadi – graphic designer and artist.
We are very lucky and thankful to receive support and contributions from many people in different places: Majid Akhgar, Hedieh Ahmadi (BAZAR Art Book Fair), Bahar Ahmadifard (New Media Society / Parking Video Library, Tehran), Jaclyn Arndt, Laura Braun, Thomas Brömme (FreiFläche, Berlin), Sabeth Buchmann, Sarah Bullen, Helia Darabi, Ghazaleh Hedayat, Bita Fayyazi, Helen Ferguson, Amirali Ghasemi (New Media Society / Parking Video Library, Tehran), Ali Gholipour, Kellie Joy Jones, Behnam Kamrani, Kasra Karimi, Arman Khalatbari, Mohammad Khezri (Khaneye_Ma Art Residency, Kerman), Hans-Michael Koetzle (Deutscher Fotobuchpreis, Stuttgart), Lydia Korndörfer, Simone Kattert, Sohrab Mahdavi, Kirsten Minkel (Stadt Arnsberg), Neda Monem, Golnar Narimani, Christopher Paksi (Salon am Moritzplatz, Berlin), Pooyan Piredeir, Livia Rutishauser, Hassan and Hossein Rowshanbakht (Hasht Cheshmeh Art Space, Kashan), Amir Saqa, Nastaran Saremy, Johanna Schindler, Sriwhana Spong, Negar Tahsili, Nasrin Talebi Sarvari, Newsha Tavakolian, Ingo Tegeder, Dr. Andrea Piorreck-Teiser and Dr. Johannes Teiser (Kunstverein Arnsberg), Sonja Vieth (Buchhandlung Sonja Vieth, Arnsberg), Prof. Cornelia Vonhof (Deutscher Fotobuchpreis, Stuttgart), Agnes Wartner and Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Sigrid Weigel .