Performing & Visual Arts
CEI Gallery Presents: Humanity As Praxis
Humanity as a Praxis brings together artists whose work interrogates, challenges, and reimagines what it means to resist through literature, documentation, and art action. Across cultures and generations, art has served as a fugitive thread that pushes back the rhetoric of those who inflict suffering and are in power; at the same time, creative work ignites a sense of collective hope in times of oppression and struggle. This exhibition witnesses the transformative power of artistic practices as a continuous testament to reclaiming humanity as a praxis of collective resilience.
We are honored to present the participation of Carlos Martiel, a renowned Cuban artist whose practice confronts the enduring legacies of racism and colonialism in contemporary society. During the opening night, Carlos will present a live performance, “Carne Quemada,” which addresses the ongoing topic of Palestine and stands as a powerful critique of violence and oppression enacted by the State of Israel. Along with the work of Carlos, Palestinian artists Hanah Azaiza and Ahmed Jarbou will be showing a selection of their work.
Carlos Martiel (1989, Havana) Lives and works in New York. His works have been included in 57th Venice Biennale, Italy and he has had performances at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, The Solomon R Guggenheim Museum, The Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art and El Museo del Barrio in NYC, The Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam and The Museum of Fine Arts Houston. He has received several awards, including the Maestro Doble Latinx Art Prize.
Hanan Azaiza, a gifted young writer, has turned two years of surviving war into her debut novel, The Empty Chair, a work that reflects the absence of loved ones and homes lost in the Israeli genocide.
Ahmed Jarbou is a 24-year-old Palestinian photographer and filmmaker from Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip. His work focuses on documenting daily life under siege through a lens that conveys warmth and humanity. He is known for his narrative visual style, telling stories through photographs and films that reflect memory, resilience, and identity.
