Aws Al-Zubaïdy was last notably seen at AR with his memorable performance at the AR Pavilion – Venice, and are delighted to welcome him to the new Artists at Risk (AR) residency in Zurich Switzerland in cooperation with RENA — Refuge Network for Artists with Theater Gessnerallee, Theater Neumarkt, and Tanzhaus Zürich.
Aws Al-Zubaïdy is a Palestinian performer and theatre maker whose work explores movement, identity, and resistance through physical theatre. His journey in theatre began in Palestine, where he graduated from the Drama Academy Ramallah in collaboration with Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen, Germany. He further enriched his expertise by working at the National Theatre of Tunisia in Tunis, and in 2025 he completed his Master’s degree in Physical Theatre at the Accademia Teatro Dimitri in Switzerland.
His work centers on the exploration and development of physical theatre as a site of research into the body as both a medium of expression and a political tool, where language transforms into embodied action.
Al-Zubaïdy’s practice bridges the personal and political, transforming lived experience into powerful performance. He performed across Palestine, Jordan, Tunisia, Pakistan and Europe. and in 2024, he presented at the Artists at Risk Pavilion – Venice Biennale and Schauspielhaus Zürich, amplifying voices of resilience and resistance through theatre.
RENA — Refuge Network for Artists is dedicated to safeguarding freedom of expression and protecting artists and cultural workers at risk. The initiative connects theatres, cultural institutions, and municipalities across Switzerland to host and support artists in exile, ensuring they can continue their creative work in safety and dignity. In close collaboration with Artists at Risk (AR) and ICORN, RENA strengthens a growing network of solidarity, standing at the intersection of human rights and the arts.
💫 We are thrilled to collaborate with RENA and our Zurich partners Theater Gessnerallee, Theater Neumarkt, and Tanzhaus Zürich to support Aws Al-Zubaïdy in his ongoing journey of artistic expression and creative resistance.
