It is inspiring when our world-class universities invite artists to have a seat at the table. On Monday, April 8, 2019, MIT organized a panel discussion centering on the artist Julie Mehretu and her work as part of its ongoing lecture series at the Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture. Nasser Rabbat, a renowned architectural historian and director of the AKPIA, welcomed the audience. The series focuses on art and the artist’s ability to respond to the violent conflicts that have engulfed the Middle East, particularly since the Arab uprisings that began at the end of 2010. This year’s guest was Mehretu, who cites Rabbat’s 2011 article in Artforum, titled, “Circling the Square” as a major inspiration for her work “Mogamma (a painting in four parts).” Mehretu, a New York-based artist, with miriam cooke, professor emerita at Duke University and author of “Dancing in Damascus: … [Read more...] about MAKING CONNECTIONS: WITH JULIE MEHRETU