Mark Gergis

Mark Gergis is a producer, musician, anthologist and audiovisual archivist known for his radio and video productions, recordings and performances, and for releasing music both under his own name and as Porest. His work has focused on regional folk-pop music from the Middle East and Southeast Asia, including choubi and dabke from Iraq and Syria. Gergis was born and raised in California but is of Iraqi descent, so his interest in the music and politics of the Middle East also has some personal dimensions. As an archivist, he has brought musicians like Omar Souleyman to international attention, and released collections of Syrian music and his own field recordings from his travels around the country. With his work, Gergis aims to challenge the West’s perception of the Middle East.