Palestine remembered
RealTime
A group of elders from Sydney’s Palestinian community gathered recently to share their memories of Al Nakba (The Catastrophe) of 1948 when Palestinians were forced to leave their homeland. Inspired by their stories, a number of Arab Australian film, new media and visual artists (Sohail Dahdal, Fadia Abboud, Soraya Asmar, Maissa Alameddine), community workers (Alissar Chidiac, Antoinette Abboud) and activists (Rihab Charida, Nicole Barakat) are collaborating on an exhibition that will serve as “testimony to an organic process between the keepers of these memories and those of us who choose to engage,” says film-maker Sohail Dahdal.
In May, on the 55th anniversary of Al Nakba, the Performance Space gallery will become a space in which the sentiments of Al Nakba are voiced: “The feelings of 1948 may materialise through sounds, moving images, objects, aromas, sights and performance installations.”
As well as displaying artworks inspired by the storytelling day, the exhibition will house a collection of historic works and contemporary pieces including photography, street art, posters and sound pieces. “These creations will come together to communicate the survival and determination of the Palestinian people,” says Sohail.
You can listen to the stories of Mahmoud Youssef, Fouad Charida and Soliman Al-Hawani on www.iremember1948.org
RealTime issue #54 April-May 2003 pg. 32
