Unit and Diaspora – “Wihdeh Wa Shatat”
2018

An open-air, 180 piece, exhibit that captures the unique connection between the Palestinian people and the passage of time.

Time moves at a different pace for Palestinians as we count off the days and the years – 73 now – since the Palestinian exodus that started in 1948, as we await the day to return home.

Spread across a golden wheat field in a location overlooking Palestine, a series of sundials indicating via the angles of the dials where in the world the Palestinian diaspora spread, and the clustering of the dials marking the concentration of the diaspora in the different geographies.

The story of the Palestinian diaspora is also narrated in the selection of material.

The fragility of the limestone as it is moved from one place to another a reflection of how we as people are chipped away, deformed, and reshaped when we are moved from our homeland, and as we adapt to our new locations.

The brass gnomon depicts the unwavering strength and resilience of the Palestinian identity.

The combination of brass and stone together showing the tension we experience as a resilient people in a state of fragility.

The setup of the exhibit in an open field tells of the strong ties between the Palestinians and the land.

A different Palestinian embroidery pattern engraved in each gnomon looks to document an art form in more solid material as occupation works its way through ethnically cleaning and erasing Palestinian culture in all its forms.

The sun light streaming through the openings of the brass gnomon resulting in the reflection of the varied beautiful cross-stitch patterns on the stone is indicative of the mark the Palestinians left behind in every geography they arrived at, bringing with them the beaty of the Palestinian culture and adding value to their host countries.