"Intersection" – an audiovisual experiment

“Intersection” is a new audiovisual experiment, mixing Arabic poetry, classical Arabic melodies, street art, Arabic calligraphy and contemporary electronic sounds. It describes the state of the Arab world, standing still, at an intersection between East and West, religious beliefs, extremism and moderation, good and evil, war and peace... The aim of this project, is to expose to the world a bit of the artistry that resides under the rubble, and transmit the idea of a possible common cultural ground to the next Arab generations. After all, dialects may differ, but all Arabs still speak the same language. 

The Arab world has been living in the midst of chaos, corruption, bad rulership, sectarian conflicts, religious extremism, social divisions, economic problems, racism and ignorance for many decades. Almost all peoples in those Arab nations are still striving to find some kind of unity and enjoy a life of beauty and harmony despite all the negativity. The need to search for inspiration in sources of humanism and love that can reduce animosity and build peace, prosperity and justice in this part of the world is bigger than ever. The positive sources of inspiration are there, presented by artists, poets, philosophers, thinkers, scientists and all the many heroes of everyday life. 

Tania Saleh has chosen to revisit great inspiring poems from different poets of the Arab world and turn them into contemporary songs. Being a visual artist herself and a big fan of street art, she also painted some murals on the walls of the Arab world, and even in Oslo (Norway), one of the cities to which Arabs flee from the terrible situations in their countries. Those murals are an attempt to express the essence of the timeless poetry she chose, and to mirror the situation in the Arab streets today. 

About Tania saleh:

Tania Saleh is a Lebanese singer/songwriter/visual artist who has been paving her own path in the Arabic indie alternative musical scene since 1990. Her songs are a mix between the traditional Arabic music she was raised on (dabke, tarab and mawwal ) and the western sounds she chose to follow ( folk, rock, jazz, bossa nova, electronic ). She also has a passion for visual arts, illustration and animation. By mixing both music and interesting imagery, Tania Saleh is reinventing herself in every way. She has released 5 albums to date - the latest, an audiovisual album entitled "Intersection" in collaboration with music producer Khalil Judran and Norwegian producer Erik Hillestad from Kirkelig Kulturverksted, Norway. 

How it all started:

Back in 2013, a meeting between Tania Saleh and Khalil Judran (international sound artist, electronic music composer and producer who contributed to numerous experimental and underground music projects, including “Checkpoint 303”) was made possible by the Norwegian label Kirkelig Kulturverksted (KKV) and gave rise to an unexpected, yet natural musical explosion, where edgy post-pop electronica is mixed with magical Oriental melodies and powerful contemporary Arab poetry. An unprecedented chemistry led to an unclassifiable album that seeks to challenge current walls in all forms.

Produced by: Khalil Judran

Executive producers: Tania Saleh and Erik Hillestad

Supported by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Track list: 

1. Happy About Something - Mahmoud Darwish                       3:50

2. Show Me the Way - Tania Saleh                                              3:20

3. No Justice in the Forests - Khalil Gibran                                3:13

4. The Orient - Bayram al Tunsi                                                   4:38

5. Quarrel with Allah - Younes El Ebn                                          4:04

6. Damascus - Nizar Kabbani                                                       4:18

7. Speechless - Tania Saleh                                                          3:44

8. In Other People's Land- Abdallah Al Bardawni                       3:45

9. Invitation to a Dream - Nazek Al Malaeka                               3:42

10. I, Lilith - Joumana Haddad                                                      4:54

11. It's Springtime - Bader Shaker Al Sayyab & Sarah Jahin      3:38

12. Weird World - Sarah Jahin                                                      4:30

13. We Will Sing - Ahmad Fouad Najm                                        3:21