with Khaled and Rasmus
Fridays June 19th & 26th, 12pm-3:30pm and Saturday, June 27th, 12-2pm
at PS1 Close House (538 S. Gilbert)
sliding scale: XXXX
This class will provide an introduction to the life and writing of Palestinian militant Ghassan Kanafani (1936-1972). First, through engaging with one short piece of Kanafani’s fiction, an excerpt of his political analysis, and a sample of his artistic practice, we will explore what Kanafani termed “Resistance Literature:” art that emerges from and for a liberation struggle. We will then use this context to attempt a collaborative adaptation of Kanafani's very short story, “The Falcon.” The core of the workshop will be creative writing, transforming fiction into a script for theater or a short film, but we hope, depending on the skills/interests of participants, to incorporate different media as well, such as poster art, illustrations, or a soundtrack. The goals of the workshop are to see how a piece of literature from Kanafani’s time can be recreated for today’s struggle, and to find connections between our own creative practice and Kanafani's thought, pursuing an applied understanding of “Resistance Literature” to Palestine solidarity organizing in Iowa.
Open to ages 18+.
Registration deadline: June 5
*PS1 workshops are pay-what-you-can thanks to support from Hills Bank and individual donors. XXXX is the true cost of the workshop, and we encourage participants to select the cost that they can afford, or pay a little extra to support future sliding-scale fees.
TEACHING ARTISTS:
Khaled Rajeh is a writer and translator from Baakleen, Lebanon. He holds an MFA in Literary Translation from the University of Iowa, where he is pursuing a PhD with a focus on the work of Ghassan Kanafani.
Rasmus is a designer and researcher from Iowa City, Iowa. They’ve worked as a community planner and educator, and are pursuing a Master's in Library Sciences at the University of Iowa. Rasmus began studying Ghassan Kanafani as part of their political organizing with the local solidarity organization Iowa City Action for Palestine.