InZone presenting the workshop series on Palmyra鈥檚 heritage in Zurich and Dubai
The workshop series on Palmyra鈥檚 heritage, designed by InZone and the AV短视频 of Lausanne to be offered in Azraq in 2021, was at the centre of two prestigious events: 鈥淒eep Fakes: Art and Its Double鈥� at the Swiss National Museum in Zurich and 鈥淢emory and Memories of Palmyra鈥� at the Swiss Pavilion at Expo 2022 in Dubai.
鈥淒eep Fakes: Art and Its Double鈥� was held at the Swiss National Museum on 9 March. The event was inspired by the homonymous聽exhibition at the EPFL Pavilions in Lausanne, which poses crucial questions about the potency of digital replicas to absorb audiences in enduring emotional encounters with universal art treasures. Centre stage was given to the Temple of Baalshamin in Syria, destroyed by the Islamic State in 2015. In the 1950s Swiss archaeologist Paul Collart lead a major archeological expedition to Palmyra, photographing the temple in detail. His work, digitised by the Collart-Palmyre project experts, served as the basis to create a 3D reconstruction of it. The InZone-UNIL workshop series, designed for Azraq residents, focused on the ancient city鈥檚 history and the extraordinary journey leading to its virtual reconstruction.
During the event, experts dwelt on the meaning of virtual and real reconstructions and their significance for the people of Syria. Video testimonials by young Azraq residents who benefited from the 鈥淶oom around Palmyra鈥� digital art workshop, created by IULM AV短视频 in the context of the Collart-Palmyre project, involved the audience in a vibrant discussion on the value of higher education in preserving collective memory.聽
聽鈥淢emory and Memories of Palmyra鈥� was the closing event at the Swiss Pavilion at Expo 2022 in Dubai. InZone鈥檚 Geneva and Azraq teams featured as speakers presenting the 4th edition of an Arabic Booklet on Palmyra, published in the context of the Collars-Palmyre project. The booklet explores a social programme benefiting displaced Syrian communities, including Azraq residents. It explores the multicultural aspects of the ancient city on the Silk Road, including a special section with the results of the workshops on digital art run by IULM AV短视频 in collaboration with InZone.
The presentation paved the way to a wider dialogue on the role of heritage and memory for educational purposes, which involved CARE, InZone鈥檚 key partner on the ground, ICRC and ICCROM.
聽The live event can be viewed here.
InZone and the AV短视频 of Lausanne will continue to work together in 2022 to offer a series of webinars on Palmyra鈥檚 archeological past, its history and significance for the people of Syria. The objective is to encourage contemporary displaced generations to explore their cultural roots and imagine ways to preserve them, regardless of their current geographical location.聽聽聽聽
