THIS WEEKEND: Forest City Gallery Members' Show and Sale + Queer Cinema for Palestine: No Pride in Genocide

This weekend, two very important cultural events are taking place back-to-back.

On Saturday, December 9, the Forest City Gallery (FCG) Members' Show and Sale featuring the ECH opens with a reception from 7-9 PM. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the FCG, and the 40th anniversary of the ECH. Artworks by FCG and ECH members will be available, and will support the operation of both the FCG and ECH. Please join us for this historic occasion!

On Sunday, December 10, International Human Rights Day, ECH will host an event for Queer Cinema for Palestine—ECH's second time participating after the inaugural festival in 2021. This year's event, programmed under the banner of No Pride in Genocide, has already taken place in London, UK, Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Berlin, and Amsterdam. Today, QCP is taking place in Beirut, and tomorrow's event is in Seoul. The Queer Cinema for Palestine 2023 programme closes with London, ON, this weekend. Please join us for what will be a necessary event in solidarity with the people of Palestine. 

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Forest City Gallery's 50th Anniversary Members' Show & Sale:
In support of FCG & the Embassy Cultural House

Featuring works by Megan Arnold, Whymark Austen, Ross Bell, Ben Benedict, Ron Benner, Adi Berardini, Rain Bloodworth, David Bobier, Marla Botterill, Dickson Bou, Brad Boug, Natalie Bravo, Joan Brennan, Mallory Butlin, Heather Carey, Anindita Chakraborty, Lauren Chipeur, Jack Cocker, Susan Day, Laura Dirk, Mary Donlan, Steve Elkerton, Seb Evans, Kim Ewin-Goebel, kerry ferris, Greg Fischer, Brenda Furhman, Wyn Geleynse, Dave Gordon, Alexis Green, Kelly Greene, Jen Hamilton, Jamelie Hassan, Moira Hayes, Alec Hodgson, Jay Hodgson, Maxwell Hyett, Ian Indiano, Luiza Kaminska, Sharmistha Kar, SiHyun Vision Kim, Sarah Lanteigne, Allan Lewis, Derek Liddington, Devon Lowrie, Patrick Mahon, Ellen Mallet, Jacob Mallett, Anda Marcu, Vladimir Marcu, Catherine Morrisey, Olivia Mossuto, Conan Masterson, Jason McLean with Devon Marinac, Emmy Meredith, David Merritt, Sarah Munro, Sheri Nault, Niloufar Salimi, Samantha Orlowski & more!

The Forest City Gallery Annual Members’ Show & Sale is an important avenue for artists in the London community to connect and develop new audiences, while offering an affordable entry point for supporting local and regional artists and collecting unique works. This is FCG’s longest-running annual exhibition, and it serves as an important fundraising event for the FCG's upcoming programming year. 2023 marks half a century of FCG supporting local and regional artists, and vice versa. 

This year, FCG has partnered with the Embassy Cultural House—ECH Members have also contributed works, with proceeds from the Members' Show and Sale going directly toward FCG's and ECH's operations. This annual fundraiser provides vital support for our capacities to program exhibitions, offer artistic resources, and promote thoughtful dialogue amongst local, regional, and international arts communities.

ECH Contributor Wyn Geleynse and ECH Co-founder Ron Benner installing the FCG Members' Show and Sale. Photo credit: Ruth Skinner

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Queer Cinema for Palestine: No Pride in Genocide

As part of Queer Cinema for Palestine: No Pride in Genocide, the Embassy Cultural House (ECH) is proud to present a screening of the powerful, experimental documentary, Photo Booth (2022) by Canadian director, activist, and artist John Greyson. To follow is a conversation between Greyson and Michael Lynk, Professor Emeritus in the Faculty of Law at Western University and Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories from 2016 to 2022. The program will also include a screening of Montreal-based, Palestinian artist and teacher, Razan Al-Salah’s 2017 short film, أبوكي خلق عمره ١٠٠ سنة، زي النك your father was born 100 years old, and so was the Nakba.

John Greyson’s ability to weave a tapestry of ideas, histories, emotions and potentials and Michael Lynk’s knowledge of and experience with Palestinian human rights issues will ensure both a compelling and critical discussion. In the words of the respected Palestinian poet, Mahmoud Darwish, “he thinks of the journey of thought across borders,” and we hope that this event will inspire further conversations about Palestine in London, Ontario, and abroad.

Photo Booth will be available for online screening during the live screening on Sunday, December 10 at 3PM EST through Toronto Queer Film Festival. The conversation following the screening will be recorded and added to the QCP and ECH website at a later date. 

This event has been organized by ECH Co-founder Jamelie Hassan and ECH Contributing Editor Ira Kazi.  Our partners for this event include the departments of Film Studies and Visual Arts at Western University, People for Peace in London, ON, Independent Jewish Voices in London, ON, and London’s Queer Muslim Association (LQMA).

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Relevant and Related Links

• From Al Jazeera: "If Christ were born today, he would be born under rubble, Israeli bombing" by Munjed Jadou
• From Arab America: "Cancel Christmas?" by Stephanie Abraham
• From Hyperallergic: "Citing Silencing of Arab Voices, Artists Cut Ties With Art Canada Institute" by Maya Pontone

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