Author: Sydney Christofer
As an intern working with the Associated Artists of Pittsburgh in Fall 2024, I delved into a new artistic landscape, gaining experience in marketing and social media, professional communications, and community engagement. Being fortunate to work under the direction of Executive Director Madeline Gent, I was able to find my space within the organization. Combining my background in museum studies and studio arts, I focused my contribution on community engagement with a specific emphasis on an often-underrepresented constituency.
My goal was to uncover creative spaces and create a resource that bridges gaps and fosters inclusivity between Pittsburgh's Middle Eastern community and the city’s art scene. This effort led to the creation a of bilingual community guide in English and Arabic in a zine format. Collaborating with family friend Carla Lahoud for Arabic translation ensured accessibility for English as a Second Language (ESL) learners to discover the art opportunities the city has to offer.
My research first began by adopting the perspective of an outsider toward the art scene in Pittsburgh so that this zine would be accessible to people of all backgrounds. As I revisited different areas of the city, I took note of the things that struck me first about the spaces. The intimate galleries of East Liberty and Lawrenceville provided glimpses into grassroots creativity, where individual artists and artisans shape their neighborhood’s identities. While in the Cultural District, seeing the sculptures of Louise Bourgeois, for instance, I considered how works I have passed countless times taught me how art transforms public spaces into communal experiences.
The most enriching moments of my research were those that bridged cultural gaps. I strove to include opportunities for all ages with a multitude of disciplines within the arts. At the Turkish Cultural Center in Greentree, I discovered workshops for calligraphy and mosaics. This space valued tradition yet still felt vibrant and alive in a contemporary context. Similarly, researching Pittsburgh's past notable artworks, such as the collaborative installation by Sohrab Kashani and Jon Rubin at the Mattress Factory, for which a Tehran apartment was recreated, suggests how art can transcend borders even when physical movement is restricted. Including a group of works that were shown in Pittsburgh that engaged with Middle Eastern people provided a way to reinforce this community’s deserved space within the art world.
The zine I produced was ultimately a chance to have conversations with artists, community members, and my peers at the Associated Artists of Pittsburgh about the use of art as a tool for fostering community. Creating this guide allowed me to reflect on the role of curation as a practice of care. From summer camps to galleries, and exhibitions, I hope to provide a resource created specifically for the Middle Eastern community to positively navigate Pittsburgh's creative opportunities and experiences.
Sydney Christofer was a Museum Studies Intern at the Associated Artists of Pittsburgh, Fall 2024