all proceeds go to gaza •
all proceeds go to gaza •
My book is now available for purchase on Lulu.com!
I Was Not There When You Were Born
A Collection of Photographs, Written Words, and Art From a Palestinian Family
This book is the culmination of an attempt to uncover and preserve my Palestinian family’s history and visual culture. I came into this project with the aim to minimize the inevitable scatter and dilution of heirlooms and history by putting them all in one place. I bring to light new stories and new narratives, pairing them with photographs that have lied dormant for decades. I bring in my own photographs, as well, as a way to connect the present to the past: my grandfather's house in Michigan is full of Palestinian objects that have made their way overseas, and I include these to emphasize the endurance of a culture, the prevalence of it's visual manifestations, in a home away from home.
All proceeds are donated to Gaza and to Palestinian refugees.
Take a peak below!
As part of my Levitt Fellowship in the summer of 2024, I completed both the book as well as the following art pieces. I delve in art-making with archival materials, exploring ideas such as decay, detritus, and diaspora. I use sewing, weaving, drawing, and collaging to engage with and shed new light upon photographs that previously lied dormant and dark in old, dusty albums and shoe boxes.
Levitt Fellowship @ Hamilton College, 2024, under the supervision and guidance of Robert Knight.
