Mar’a’yeh (مرايه), the Levantine Arabic word for “mirror,” contains within it the Hebrew mar’a (מַראָה), sharing the same meaning. Together, they form an infinity mirror — inseparable, yet invisible to the untrained eye. Mar’a’yeh understands art as a reflective surface that reveals the complexities of human experience without simplification. Rather than offering flattery or reassurance, it invites us to confront both beauty and contradiction, challenging perceptions of Jewishness and Muslimness in German society and opening space for dialogue.
Mar’a’yeh is a program by LABA Berlin, supported by the Jüdisches Zentrum Synagoge Fraenkelufer and the Deutsche Islam Akademie. Founded in 2007 in New York, LABA is a Jewish house of study and cultural laboratory that uses classical texts to inspire art, dialogue, and community, with hubs in cities including Buenos Aires, the San Francisco Bay Area, Berlin, Barcelona, and Paris.
In Berlin, Mar’a’yeh brings together artists who identify as Jewish and/or Muslim for a year-long process of exchange and co-creation. The program offers a shared space for artistic development, critical reflection, and dialogue, grounded in engagement with Jewish and Islamic texts and lived experiences. Fellows are supported through peer learning, mentorship, and contributions from scholars, practitioners, and artists.
The artistic and curatorial direction, including the final exhibition, is led by Dënalisa Shijaku and Olaf Kühnemann. The mentorship and educational program is led by Dekel Peretz and Betül Ulusoy, supported by Siena Powers.
Residency at Künstlerhaus Bethanien:
01.04.2024 – 31.12.2024 (A Midnight’s Journey)
01.04.2025 – 31.12.2025 (Entropy)
01.04.2026 – 31.12.2026 (Name)