In their new project wahab screening the tabadoul orchestra joins forces with young video artists from the Beirut underground scene. Mazen Kerbaj and Raed Yassin represent a young generation of musicians and visual artists who managed to create an international network that gives them the possibility to pursue their artistic vision in the field of improvised music, experimental film and performance art despite the many obstacles and common ignorance that they still have to face in their countries.
Between 1933 and the 1950s Abdel Wahab starred in seven musical films where he acted, sang and composed the film music. Unusual for their time, these films introduced a romantic hero who was light-hearted and sophisticated.They portrayed a westernized urban elite society and featured non-traditional music. These films are still immensely popular in the whole Arab world. The video work of Kerbaj/Yassin will use footage from these films and mix it with statements about artist's life and society in the real existing middle east of the 21st century.
