“There’s a dead tree that was the site of a battle during the Israeli occupation where three squads of 10 fighters each were killed, with the exception of one fighter. He was surrounded by Israelis when a wolf came. He started freaking out, not knowing whether to give away his position by killing the wolf or risk getting eaten. Lucky for him the Imam Mahdi appears to him and tells him to follow the wolf to safety and that his wife is pregnant with a son that is to be named Jihad. Jihad fights in the 2006 war and after the Divine Victory the tree springs to life and bleeds sap that spells the name of the 30 fighters.”
This work explores how objects, signs, and symbols are curated in politicised landscapes for the purpose of generating, cultivating, and manipulating memory. These tools are also used to co-opt and commandeer relationships with past, present, and future struggles.
The work itself follows a similar process, revisiting and recalibrating initial ideas by combining images originally produced for different purposes. The images are re-edited and sequenced in response to the authors’ recollections of events and fresh perspectives on the interconnectivity of their initial ideas, with the benefit of experience, hindsight, and greater geopolitical and historical understanding.
Furthermore, this exploration of objects, signs, and symbols highlights the power of visual communication in shaping collective memory. By examining the ways in which these tools are used to manipulate and co-opt historical narratives, the work invites readers to question the constructed nature of our understanding of the past and present.
The process of revisiting and reimagining ideas may contribute to a deeper understanding of the issues at hand and opens up new possibilities for creative expression and cultural critique.
The work itself follows a similar process, revisiting and recalibrating initial ideas by combining images originally produced for different purposes. The images are re-edited and sequenced in response to the authors’ recollections of events and fresh perspectives on the interconnectivity of their initial ideas, with the benefit of experience, hindsight, and greater geopolitical and historical understanding.
Furthermore, this exploration of objects, signs, and symbols highlights the power of visual communication in shaping collective memory. By examining the ways in which these tools are used to manipulate and co-opt historical narratives, the work invites readers to question the constructed nature of our understanding of the past and present.
The process of revisiting and reimagining ideas may contribute to a deeper understanding of the issues at hand and opens up new possibilities for creative expression and cultural critique.
Produced in collaboration with Jahd Khalil.
