RE-IGNITING MEMORY

By Corinne Martin

Nabil Anani: Palestine, Land and People explores the lived Palestinian experience.

Nabil Anani is one of the most prominent Palestinian artists working today. Anani’s development is analogous with major events in Palestinian history. Nabil Anani: Palestine, Land and People is the first monograph of Anani’s work. A painter, ceramicist and sculptor, Anani has built a beautiful body of work consisting of innovative art, over the past five decades, and has pioneered the use of local media such as leather, henna, natural dyes, papier-mâché, wood, beads and copper.

Holy Family, 2012, acrylic on canvas, 105 x 120 cm
Holy Family, 2012, acrylic on canvas, 105 x 120 cm

“The works of Nabil Anani simultaneously perform the roles of novelist, poet, historian, architect, filmmaker, musician and restorer of memory,” writes Palestinian poet Mourid Barghouti in his introduction to the book. This book is not only an exploration of an artist, but also an exploration of Palestine. Throughout this volume, themes in Anani’s work are explored, alongside his style and progression as an artist. Contributions from leading Middle Eastern art historians Rana Anani, Lara Khaldi, Bashir Makhoul, Nada Shabout, Housni Alkhateeb Shehadeh and Tina Sherwell offer fascinating insights into Anani’s impressive body of work.

Imwas, 1989, watercolour on paper, 40 x 65 cm
Imwas, 1989, watercolour on paper, 40 x 65 cm

The word “intifada”’ literally means “to shake off.” Lara Khaldi’s essay, Passage into The Light, gives an in-depth understanding of Anani’s rebellious use of materials, which began in 1988 after the beginning of the first intifada that called on all Palestinians to boycott Israeli products. “What Anani and his fellow artists did during the First Intifada was the very shaking off of the medium itself. They became aware of the very infrastructure that holds the work of art, and that is one form of revolutionary art,” explains Lara Khaldi.

Family from Jerusalem, circa 1920s, 2014, acrylic on canvas, 115 x 148 cm
Family from Jerusalem, circa 1920s, 2014, acrylic on canvas, 115 x 148 cm

After the Intifada Anani started using leather as canvas and henna and tea as paint. One of the formal changes that the leather as a material enabled was the transgression of the borders of a geometric canvas, so that it could spill over the usual limitations. Anani’s use of local materials such as leather and natural dyes relieved him of the obligation to use familiar and clichéd symbolism, which enabled him to create a truly distinct and unique oeuvre.

This book presents Anani’s complete body of work, which reflects the lived Palestinian experience, exhibiting distinctive responses to issues of exile, dislocation, conflict, memory and loss. Anani’s artistic vision restores and celebrates a denied and often-forgotten reality, his work re-igniting memory.

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER

selections-arts-logo

SELECTIONS is a platform for the arts, focusing on the Arab World.

Selections editorial presents a quarterly print magazine and weekly online publication with high quality content on all subjects related to Art and Culture. Full of world-leading artworks, exquisite brand imagery, original creative illustrations and insightful written articles.
Selections Viewing Rooms presents carefully curated online art shows aiming not only to shed light on contemporary art executed by living artists, but also for viewers to buy contemporary fine art, prints & multiples, photography, street art and collectibles.
Discover the previous and current shows here.
Cultural Narratives foundation is an extensive collection that is travelling the world by leading established and emerging talents aiming to reflect the culture of the region in their works.

RANDOM READS

‘Chasing the Sun’ by Marwan Rechmaoui at Sfeir Semler Downtown, Beirut

Sfeir Semler Gallery Beirut presents Marwan Rechmaoui’s latest solo show, ‘Chasing the Sun’ at Downtown, Beirut from March 13 until July 27, 2024. Marwan Rechmaoui, known for his conceptual sculptures in concrete, metal, rubber, and wax, delves into an exploration…

Design Doha Exhibitions

Qatar Museums presents Design Doha, a biennial event showcasing design and innovation in Qatar and the MENA region. The biennial took place from February 24 to February 28, with the opening week heralding the start of a series of exhibitions,…

Desert X AlUla 2024

Desert X AlUla, a recurring and temporary open-air art exhibition in the globally significant ancient desert region of AlUla in the Arabian Peninsula, returns for its third edition from February 9 to March 23, 2024. This exhibition, part of the…

The Custodian: Preserving Palestinian Art: The Dalloul Art Foundation’s Pivotal Role by George Al-Ama

This article appeared in The Custodian Issue #66 that was dedicated to the Dalloul Art Foundation and its custodian Basel Dalloul in which we covered the foundation’s mission, influence and importance in championing and safeguarding Arab art for generations to…

Curated by at Art Dubai 2024 Contemporary

A selection of galleries exhibiting in the Contemporary section from Art Dubai’s 17th edition have chosen a work from their booth. Here’s what they had to say: Efie Gallery: El Anatsui, The Bend in The River, 2022. 125 cm x…

Art Dubai 17th Edition Programs and Partnerships

Art Dubai unveils its 17th edition, running from March 1 to 3, 2024, at Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai, with previews on February 28 and 29. The event will feature: new commissioned performances exploring themes of healing and hope, the Global Art…

march 2024

26oct(oct 26)09:0005mar(mar 5)09:00'MEHDI MOUTASHAR: INTROSPECTION AS RESISTANCE'

10nov09:0010mar09:00Armenia Contemplating the sacred

11nov(nov 11)09:0010mar(mar 10)09:00Sharjah Architecture Triennial