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INVIDIA RUMPUNTUR AVES NEQUE NOCTUA CURAT
"The birds are bursting with envy & the owl does not care"
Discovered in a 3rd century Roman villa in El Djem, Tunisia, this enigmatic mosaic displays an Owl wearing a Roman toga. Crescent-staff emblems on each side suggest this was commissioned by a member of the 'Telegenii' -a secretive group who sourced and supplied the animals for Roman venetiones (games and spectacles involving animals). I have argued that this mosaic features numerous pre-Roman (Punic) motifs, reinforcing the probability that the Telegenii likely identified as being of local indigenous or Pre-Roman heritage, acquiring favour as Roman citizens for the role they played in supplying the Roman games.
Personal
I was born in Tunisia with mixed Tunisian
Arab/Amazigh and British/German Jewish heritage and live in southern England (UK), having previously lived, studied and worked in London, Edinburgh and Paris.
ABOUT FARÈS
I currently divide my time between academic research / writing and freelance consultancy on cultural heritage impact mitigation, lecturing & some arts production.
My research gravitates around understanding human behaviour, especially in relation to material culture; with an ongoing critical eye on the circumstances of the history which have led to current knowledge paradigms, both popularly and within academic discourse. Specific areas of interests include religion and consumerism; cognition (especially radical enactivist & radical embodied cognition); 'rock art'; public realm and participatory arts; intangible heritage; artificial intelligence; aniconism/iconoclasm; and the intersection of arts/performance and scholarship. I use deep readings of Philosophical Anthropology, Lebensphilosophie & Kyoto School as philosophical approaches for underpinning my approach.
My regional expertise is in North Africa, the Sahara and central Mediterranean, in particular ancient Punic, Garamantian and Nuragic culture and contemporary "folk" and Salafist ("extremist") Islamism, on which I have published papers (see publications) led tours, and lectured on an ongoing basis (see tours & talks).
I have occupied leadership roles for regional, national & international arts & culture organisations & served on various public bodies and charities.
EDUCATION
ARTS
2019-2023
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR / FINANCE MANAGER
Shubbak: A Window on Contemporary Arab Culture, London
2017-19 & 2021-2023
THEATRE DIRECTOR
Strode Theatre, nr Glastonbury
2014-2017
MANAGING DIRECTOR
Ammoun Voyages Cultural Tours, Edinburgh
GOVERNMENT & COMMUNITY
PRE-2010
ASSISTANT HOUSE MANAGER
Royal Opera House (London)
EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Cabinet Office (Service First Unit), London
PhD (candidate)
"Proximity & Form: a philosophical anthropology of the correlation between human perceived locations of the 'source of life' and the nature of the their relationship to the material world.
(Or 'Why do humans need, make & destroy things?')"
University of Southampton
ED by Marie Curie Fellowship
History of Thought
École normale supérieure (Paris)
MSc
Archaeology
University of Edinburgh
HERITAGE
2009-Present
HERITAGE IMPACT & OUTREACH CONSULTANT
Various clients
May 2006-Present
OCCASIONAL TUTOR & LECTURER
Various Universities & Travel Companies
2015-2017
TRUSTEE / DIRECTOR - FINANCE & OPERATIONS
Leith Theatre, Edinburgh
PRE-2010
COUNCILLOR ELECT (TWICE)
London Borough of Sutton
CHAIR ELECT, FINANCE & SCRUTINY
London Borough of Sutton
CHAIR, LEGAL PARTNERSHIPS REVIEW
London Borough of Sutton
2021
COUNCILLOR (CO-OPTED, INTERIM)
Castle Cary Town Council, Somerset
RESUMÉ
TRUSTEE
Beddington & Wallington Relief Fund for the Sick & Infirm
2006-2016
SEASONAL ROCK ART SURVEYOR
Various projects, Libya & Saudi Arabia
2011
FIELD DIRECTOR
Ghadames UNESCO World Heritage Site
2007-2011
SEASONAL CEMETERY SURVEY & EXCAVATION SUPERVISOR
Desert Migrations Project
Feb - Apr 2008 & Oct 2010
MUSEUM CATALOGUING & EXHIBITS CURATION
Desert Migrations Project / University of Leicester / Department of antiquities, Libya
2011-Present
ARTS MANAGEMENT, PROGRAMMING & EVENTS/SHOW PRODUCTION
Various clients
BSc (Joint Hons)
Anthropology & Psychosocial Studies