Christine Tohmé
Christine Tohmé is an independent curator and founder/director of Ashkal Alwan – the Lebanese Association for Plastic Arts. Founded in Beirut in 1993, Ashkal Alwan is committed to the production, research, and circulation of contemporary artistic and intellectual practices. In 2002, the association initiated Home Works: A Forum on Cultural Practices, a multidisciplinary platform that brings together artists, writers, thinkers, filmmakers, and choreographers, among others, for a public program of exhibitions, panel discussions, film screenings, and performances. In 2011, Ashkal Alwan opened its first multipurpose space and launched the Home Workspace Program, an annual tuition-free art-study program. Tohme received a Prince Claus Award in 2006 for her contribution to the development of critical culture in Lebanon and beyond. She is on the board of Marsa (Beirut), a sexual health center that provides specialized medical services for the general public as well as at-risk youth and marginalized communities. Tohme is also on the board of SAHA (Istanbul), an association supporting contemporary art from Turkey.