Like all exhibitions, Memory, Place, Desire is the result of the collaborative efforts of many people. First and foremost, I would like to acknowledge the contributions of the students enrolled in my course Curatorial Practice: The Making of an Exhibition (ICPRH303), which was offered at Haverford College in the spring of 2014. The exhibition provided the pedagogical framework for the course, involving students in all aspects of the show, including preparation of catalogue entries for each work. My co-curators, these students are named on the Contents page of the catalogue. Alexander Lee helped in various ways as research assistant throughout the term. Emma Cohen was my summer 2014 student assistant.

I would like to express our gratitude to the artists for their participation, especially Mustapha Akrim and Mohamed El baz, who were awarded Creative Mellon Residencies at Haverford in the spring of 2014, and to the lenders, galleries, and museums for providing the works, photographs, and other support. In particular, I would like to mention: Aline Biasutto, Drs. John and Diane Chuback, Will Lunn, Timo Kaabi-Linke; Clara Gehlen of Galerie Nagel Drexler, Berlin; Brian Wallis, Claartje van Dijk, and Karen Ostrom of the International Center of Photography, New York; Daniel Hamparsumyan and Ally Mintz of Leila Heller Gallery, New York; Dianne Dec and David Stroud of Hosfelt Gallery, San Francisco; Taymour Grahne and Helena Anrather of Taymour Grahne Gallery, New York; and the private collectors who wish to remain anonymous.

I offer special thanks to Nadira Laggoune-Aklouche, Ecole Supérieure des Beaux-Arts, Algiers, Algeria; Rachida Triki, Université de Tunis, Tunisia; and Farid Zahi, Institut Universitaire de la Recherche Scientifique, Rabat, Morocco, whose essays enrich the catalogue by providing scholarly commentary from each of the countries represented in the show. For translations of Arabic and French, I would like to thank Thomas Donahue, Brahim El Guabli, Alexandra Gueydan-Turek, Craig Laird, Monique Laird, Agnès Peysson-Zeiss, and Andrew Szczurek.

Research for the exhibition was undertaken in Morocco with the generous support of a 2012-13 Middle East and North Africa Regional Program Fulbright Scholar Award and in Algeria in 2010 and 2012, when I was an invited speaker at the Musée National d’Art Modern et Contemporain d’Alger. For their generosity, hospitality, and kind assistance in Morocco and Algeria, I would like to express my appreciation to Kamel Abderrahim, Alexandre Aublanc, Bouchra Benjelloun, Thami Benkirane, Samta Benyahia, Zoulikha Bouabdellah, Touda Bouanani, Nadine Descendre, Malika Dorbani-Bouabdellah, Hassan Darsi, Florence Darsi-Renault, Mohamed Djehiche, Karima Elbaz, Hamid Id Ali, Fatma Jellal, Abdellah Karroum, Gerald Loftus, James A. Miller, Mohssine Nachit, Elena Prentice, Mohamed Rachdi, Stuart Schaar, and Syham Weigant.

At the American Embassy in Rabat, Morocco special thanks are extended to Dominique Benbrahim, Jennifer Bullock, and Christopher Fitzgerald.

Sincere thanks are also offered to Matthew Seamus Callinan, Associate Director of the Cantor Fitzgerald Gallery, for his many contributions and to the staff of the gallery, especially Pia Chackraverti-Wuerthwein and co-managers Dylan Kahn and Alicja Kielczewska. David Bruce, Steven Dufala, Vita Litvak, and Lucia Thome assisted with preparation and installation.

I am very grateful to Laura McGrane, Koshland Director, and James Weissinger, Associate Director, Media and Programs Development, John B. Hurford ’60 Center for the Arts and Humanities, for editing and other assistance. Thanks also to Hurford Center staff members, Emily Cronin, Kerry Nelson, and, especially, Tom Bonner for all of his work associated with the Mellon Tri-College Creative Residencies. Also at Haverford College, I extend my gratitude to the staff of Magill Library and to colleagues in the Departments of Audio Visual Services, Business Office, Central Receiving, Communications, Dining Services, Facilities, and Housekeeping.

For the beautiful design of the catalogue, I would like to acknowledge Anthony Smyrski and Jon Loudon of Random Embassy, Philadelphia. Lisa Boughter documented the artist residencies and provided photography for the catalogue. Chris Ward produced the Mellon Tri-College Creative Residencies artist videos and provided other video assistance. Len Davidson created the neon for the work by Mohamed El baz.

Finally, I offer my warmest gratitude to the many friends, colleagues, and others who have supported me in various ways: Anissa Bouyad, Mitchell Cohn, Julie Coy, Susan Schaefer Davis, Theresa Donahue, Linda Gerstein, James Gulick, Alina Hamden, Andrew Kiefer, Michael Kiefer, Zoe Kiefer, Zeke Phillips, Lisa Saltzman, and Elizabeth Solomon.

Support for the exhibition and related programs has been generously provided by the John B. Hurford ’60 Center for the Arts and Humanities and the Mellon Tri-College Creative Residencies Program.