Alexandre Paulikevitch Artist Residency - Cancelled

We are deeply sorry that Alexandre Paulikevitch planned residency and his involvement in related events in the UK have been cancelled, as he was refused a UK visa.

Despite a formal invitation, confirmed travel plans, and all necessary documentation, the visa application was denied. This is a painful setback—not only for Alexandre, but for the kind of meaningful cultural exchange the Foundation for Art & Psychoanalysis seeks to foster.

Who is Alexandre Paulikevitch?

Alexandre Paulikevitch is a groundbreaking Lebanese artist, choreographer, and performer based in Beirut. One of the very few male Arab baladi (belly) dancers, he has emerged as a singular and courageous voice in the contemporary Arab art scene. Trained in Theatre and Dance at the University of Paris VIII, Paulikevitch has transformed baladi—a traditional popular dance form deeply rooted in Middle Eastern culture—into a powerful contemporary practice. He challenges rigid gender norms, reclaims the feminine in Arab dance traditions, and uses his body as a site of resistance, beauty, and political expression.

Recent explorations in his art

Lately, Paulikevitch has been deepening his research into baladi as a contemporary and politically charged language. Through solo performances, cabaret formats, and interdisciplinary projects, he weaves together dance, costume, spoken word, and music to explore themes of gender fluidity, desire, mourning, resilience, and the survival of queer bodies in hostile environments.

Why England & Norfolk felt like the perfect match

We saw the residency at Grange Projects in Norfolk, as an ideal setting for Alexandre’s practice. The English countryside—its layered histories, quiet landscapes, and traditions of artistic retreat—offered a space for reflection, new creation, and dialogue away from the intensity of Beirut. England, with its own rich history of performance, costume, and gender play in the arts, seemed a fertile ground for cross-cultural exchange.

A symbolic evening at Camden Art Centre

As part of the programme, we had arranged for Alexandre to give a talk and performance at Camden Art Centre. This carried deep symbolic weight. Camden has long been a vibrant epicentre of queer creativity and subcultural freedom in London—from the New Romantic scene and Boy George’s iconic boundary-breaking presence in the 1980s, to its enduring role as a haven for self-expression, androgyny, and artistic rebellion.

Though the physical residency and talk could not take place, we continue to stand in solidarity with Alexandre and his work. His practice reminds us why spaces like FAP exist—to support courageous artists who expand what is possible in the intersection of art, body, and psyche.

We look forward to rescheduling and deepening this collaboration when circumstances allow. In the meantime, we invite you to follow Alexandre’s powerful journey and to reflect with us on the borders—both physical and cultural—that still restrict the free movement of artists and ideas.

Follow Alexandre Paulikevitch on Instagram