Neuberger Museum of Art Presents Conversation with the Founders of CLUSTER (Cairo Lab for Urban Studies, Training and Environmental Research)

Photo: Omar Nagati and Beth Stryker. Courtesy of Steve Double.

CLUSTER (Cairo Lab for Urban Studies, Training and Environmental Research) was created in the wake of Egypt’s 2011 revolution to establish a critical space for urban discourse, and a platform for art and design initiatives. Thanks to a grant from the Ford Foundation, the two co-founders of the Cairo-based organization, Omar Nagati and Beth Stryker, will discuss their projects and the shifting dynamics of urban space, culture and democracy in post-revolution Cairo on Wednesday, November 12, at 5:30 p.m., at the Neuberger Museum of Art of Purchase College. Entitled “CLUSTER: Urban Planning, Pedagogy and Activism in Post-Revolution Cairo,” the conversation will be moderated by Hakan Topal, Assistant Professor of New Media and Art+Design at Purchase College.

According to Olivia Kalin, curator of education at the Neuberger Museum, “This is an incredible opportunity to learn about how Cairo continues to grow and change in a post-revolutionary environment, especially how those changes are reflected in public spaces. CLUSTER is really notable for taking the pulse of Cairo’s evolving urban landscape and engaging in a critical dialogue around the issues which emerge. “

Omar Nagati is a practicing architect/urban planner living in Cairo. A graduate of Cairo University, he studied and taught at the University of British Columbia and University of California Berkeley, with a specific focus on informal urbanism. Nagati adopts an interdisciplinary approach to questions of urban history and design, and engages in a comparative analysis of urbanization processes in developing countries. He teaches Urban Design Studio at the Modern Sciences and Arts University in Giza.

Beth Stryker works between New York City and Cairo and has curated exhibitions and programs for the Downtown Contemporary Arts Festival in Cairo, Beirut Art Center, Leslie Tonkonow Artworks + Projects, Smack Mellon, the AIA/Center for Architecture in NYC (where she held the position of Director of Programs), and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, among other venues. Her artworks have been exhibited widely, including shows at the Wexner Center for the Arts, the Walker Art Center, and the Whitney Museum of American Art. Stryker received her B.A from Columbia University, and her M.Arch from Princeton University.

Hakan Topal is an artist living and working in New York City. He is an Assistant Professor of New Media and Art+Design in the State University of New York’s Purchase College . He was cofounder of xurban_collective (2000–12) and has exhibited extensively, at the 8th and 9th Istanbul Biennials; apexart, New York; Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary, Vienna; Kunst-Werke, Berlin; ZKM Center for Art and Media, Karlsruhe; MoMA PS1; Platform, Istanbul; and the 9th Gwangju Biennial. He represented Turkey at the 49th Venice Biennale. He is coeditor of The Sea- Image: Visual Manifestations of Port Cities and Global Waters (D.A.P.), emerging out of work for Istanbul European Capital of Culture 2010.

The Neuberger Museum of Art is located at 735 Anderson Hill Road in Purchase, N.Y. (Westchester)

914-251-6100

www.neuberger.org

Museum Hours

Tuesday through Sunday, 12 noon to 5 pm

Closed Mondays and major holidays

Group tours by appointment only on Tuesdays through Fridays, 10 am to 12 noon

For persons with special needs, designated parking is available at the south end

of the Museum building. Call ahead for wheelchair accommodations.

Walk-in Public Tours

Tuesday–Friday, Gallery Talk, 1 pm

Sunday, Topic Tour, 2 pm

Sunday, Gallery Talk, 3 pm

Gallery talks offer fresh insights into the Museum’s special exhibitions and permanent collection, while Topic Tours explore different aspects of the permanent collection.

Museum Store

Open during Museum hours. The store features a broad selection of art books,

art cards, handcrafted jewelry, children’s items and one-of-a-kind limited edition gifts.

Admission

$5.00 General Public

$3.00 Seniors

Free admission for Museum members, children 12 and under, and Purchase College students, faculty, and staff

Directions

The Neuberger Museum of Art is easily accessible by car or bus, and may also be reached by Metro-North. By car: From the North or South - take the Hutchinson River Parkway to Exit 28. Head north on Lincoln Avenue to Anderson Hill Road. Turn right onto Anderson Hill Road. Left at first traffic light into Purchase College campus. From 684 - take Exit 2 South on Route 120 to Anderson Hill Road. Turn left onto Anderson Hill to 2nd traffic light. Turn left at Purchase College campus. From the East - take Route 287 (Cross Westchester Expressway) to Exit 8E. Take second left over Expressway onto Anderson Hill Road. Follow signs to SUNY Purchase.

Handicap Parking

On the Purchase College campus, park in Parking Lot #1 and proceed to the underpass at the Performing Arts Center. The handicap elevator is located across from the entrance to the Performing Arts Center. Take the elevator to the second level, then exit to the left. The entrance to the museum is located diagonally across, about a city block away.