Unpictured, 2022, couch, coffee table, books, photographs, tablecloth, decor

Unpictured is a reflection on the fragmented sense of belonging to space and time that emerges from settler-colonialism–a state of suspension where both past and future are denied, or what we call the ongoing Nakba. In Unpictured, I wondered what our salons (the living room in many Arab homes where guests are greeted) would tell future generations about us. The salon, as an expression of what we value and of what we want to tell others about ourselves, can speak volumes about who we are.

I collected items from the salons of dozens of homes across Palestine but chose not to show the items. Instead, I ground every item to scraps, until I had obscured all signifiers of when, where, and who we are.

Viewers may be able to decipher basic elements—shreds of couch cushions, shards of ceramic bowls, wood shavings of a coffee table—but denied from view are the family photographs, art, political decor, flags, and all the items we use to express identity and attachment to land. These are hidden in the same way that the memories and meanings attributed to each item cannot be seen. Instead, the fragments of Unpictured demand a strong imagination—a skill we must strengthen if we are to dream of and pursue a radically different future.