Resurgent Nahda: The Arab Exhibitions in Mandate Jerusalem | Nadi Abusaada at Dar El-Nimer

We go back to 1931, when Palestinian journalist Issa El-Issa visited Paris's Colonial Exhibition and discovered Palestinian pavilions had been co-opted by British and Zionist organizers. This experience led the journalist to organize an Arab Exhibition in Palestine in 1933. Historian Nadi Abusaada discusses Resurgent Nahda, a book he recently researched and edited, and takes us through the exhibition of the same name at Dar El-Nimer in Beirut. The discussion covers the key contributors, artworks, and crafts displayed at the exhibition in Mandate Jerusalem, along with its organization and its role in promoting Arab unity. It also highlights the tragic fate of the Palace Hotel in Jerusalem, which hosted the exhibition and was later repurposed by British and Israeli authorities. 00:00 Introduction  01:51 Discussing the Book Resurgent Nahda 02:35 Origins of the Arab Exhibition Idea 04:48 Organizing the Arab Exhibition 05:38 Themes and Contributions of the Exhibition 08:36 The Role of Exhibitions in Nationalism 09:17 Historical Context and Modern Relevance 10:43 Contributors and Their Works 12:05 Exploring the Exhibition’s Layout 14:12 Notable Artists and Their Contributions 23:41 The Urgency of Arab Exhibitions 26:04 Mother of Pearl Craftsmanship in Bethlehem 28:45 The Tragic Story of the Palace Hotel 33:40 Tour of the Art Exhibition at Dar El-Nimer 34:08 Contributions and Featured Artists 38:10 Historical Artifacts and Their Significance 48:05 Rediscovering Yvonne Howa 50:12 Final Thoughts & Future Exhibitions Nadi Abusaada is a Jerusalem-born architect and historian. He is currently a Visiting Assistant Professor at the School of Architecture and Design at the American University of Beirut (AUB). His work focuses on the material histories and visual cultures of the modern Arab world. He is the co-editor of “Arab Modern: Architecture and the Project of Independence” (gta Verlag, 2025) and editor of “Resurgent Nahda: The Arab Exhibitions in Mandate Jerusalem” (Kaph Books, 2024). Nadi has earned his Ph.D. and M.Phil. degrees in architecture at the University of Cambridge and his B.A. in architecture at the University of Toronto. He has also held various prestigious academic fellowships including the ETH Zürich Postdoctoral Fellowship at ETH Zürich and the Aga Khan Postdoctoral Fellowship in Islamic Architecture at MIT. Before joining AUB, Nadi has taught subjects related to the history and theory of architecture and urbanism at Cambridge, MIT, and ETH Zürich.Connect with Nadi Abusaada 👉 https://instagram.com/nadi.saadeh Hosted by Mikey MuhannaConnect directly with Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://instagram.com/mikey_mu Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 https://spoti.fi/47I59ns FOLLOW & RATE THE THIS IS NOT A WATERMELON PODCAST:» Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/this-is-not-a-watermelon-palestinian-history-culture/id1726893137» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1UWCL1ITtnJIJUExrb6itr?_authfailed=1» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1047932705THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK Explore all episodes in this series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl40ZRFvo_VVYg6i56flEjSKABOUT AFIKRAafikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.