12:00 - 17:00

The public programme includes a panel discussion with organising and contributing artists who reflect on their work and collaborative effort. A collective poetry reading from The Gaza Reader, a collaboration between Bidoun, Artists Against Apartheid, Writers Against the War on Gaza (WAWOG), and the Kamel Lazaar Foundation, followed by a participatory performance by Palestinian sound artist and musician Bint Mbareh, exercises our collective voice.

The programme’s title, “a system which starts at the heart”, is an excerpt from Etel Adnan’s epic poem TheArab Apocalypse (1980), written between 1975 and 1980 against the backdrop of escalating violence in Lebanon. Adnan grounds us in a world consuming itself before its greatest witness: a solar force that will arguably outlive humankind, but which also lives within each and every one of us, bound by empathy, rage, grief and hope.

Times to be confirmed

12:00 - 13:40: The Gaza Reader

Join us for a marathon reading by invited artists and writers of poems drawn from The Gaza Reader. The Reader was launched in April during the Venice Biennale as an act of solidarity. It has since had multiple lives in cities around the world — San Francisco, Tunis, and Palermo among them. 

Poets in the inaugural Gaza Reader include Maya Abu Al Hayat, Zaina Alsous, Fady Joudah, Mahmoud Darwish, Mosab Abu Toha, Naomi Shihab Nye, Hala Alyan, Mohammed El Kurd, Carolina Ebeid, Noor Hindi, Refaat Alareer, Etel Adnan, Eileen Myles, and many more.

The reader is illustrated with drawings from artists Aml El Nakhala, Hazem Harb, and Adel El Taweel.

The Gaza Reader is a collaboration between Bidoun, Artists Against Apartheid, Writers Against the War on Gaza (WAWOG), and the Kamel Lazaar Foundation.

14:00 - 15:00

Bint Mbareh is a Palestinian sound researcher investigating how sound helps the unimagining and erasure of borders; between tenses, between spaces, and between bodies with a focus on how the movement of sound parallels the movement of water.

The artist's work has been shown at Tate Modern, the Lincoln Centre, at Unsound Festival, Cafe Oto and other avenues. 

For more information visit bintmbareh.today

15.30-17:00 Screenings curated by Fana’ Collective

Control Anatomy, 2023, 17 mins | Mahmoud AlHaj

Through a blend of powerful imagery, archival, and historical materials, Mahmoud's voice takes us on a decades-long journey exploring the transformation of the tools of war and their relationship to ethics, memory, technology, and the violence inflicted on the Palestinian people. The film touches on three generations of violence, corresponding to different historical moments, revealing the invisible distortion of violence that unfolds over an extended period.

Mahmoud Alhaj, born in 1990, is a visual artist and arts educator who was based in Gaza. Holding a BA in journalism, he has taught visual arts at the Palestinian Red Crescent Society since 2017. Mahmoud has completed artistic residencies at institutions including Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris, the Royal Spanish Academy in Rome, and the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague. His solo exhibitions include "Violence 24/7" at Uxval Gochez Gallery in Barcelona (2024) and "402 Of Gray" at Shababeek Gallery in Gaza (2021). He has produced six projects spanning photography, digital art, and video, showcased extensively in Palestine, Europe, and the United States. His short experimental film "The Right to See" was featured at the 35th Festival Les Instants Video in Marseille (2022) and the Cairo Video Festival (2021), alongside a duo exhibition titled "The Right to See" at Plaatsmaken studio in the Netherlands in collaboration with Rob Voerman. Mahmoud has participated in various collective exhibitions, including "Fenced Off" by ICRC (2022), "ART NOW" at Gallery One (2021), "Art in Isolation" at the Middle East Institute in Washington (2020), "Contemplative Contrasts" by A.M. Qattan Foundation, and "Orient 2.0" at Pulchri Studio in the Netherlands (2017).

The most dangerous city in the world, 2020, 2.4 mins | Moayad Abu Ammouna

Palestinian refugee camps are in a constant state of transformation, engaging in an ongoing dialogue with their inhabitants. This dynamic exchange is vividly reflected in the camps' evolving visual character. Despite the passage of time, which threatens to erase their history, these camps persist in their metamorphosis. This short film documents and reflects on Al-Shati Camp in Gaza, tracing its history and capturing the essence of its enduring story.

Disappearance and survival, 2020, 2.4 mins | Moayad Abu Ammouna

This short film explores the contrasting facets of Gaza, a city that withstands relentless attempts at destruction. Despite these challenges, Gaza remains resilient, thriving amidst its contradictions.

Moayed, a Palestinian refugee, was born in Gaza City, Palestine. He holds a bachelor's degree in media (radio and television) from Al-Aqsa University, Palestine. He is a visual artist, screenwriter, filmmaker, and a storyteller, whose work spans experimental visual production, video art, and fiction. Moayed has produced numerous artistic projects, most notably "Struggle," "Broadcast," and "Between Gaza and My Eyes." He also produced a short documentary series titled "Ta'arikh." His work often explores themes of land and identity, uprooting, refugees, and the collective memory of the population, with a strong focus on human rights. Through his art, Moayed addresses the challenges he has faced in his life and examines how individuals can find a natural way of living and achieve their full rights. He believes that art is not just a profession but a way of life. Moayed has exhibited and participated in many prominent exhibitions and art and film festivals both locally and internationally.

Scenes From Under Occupation in Gaza, 1973, 11 mins | Mustafa Abu Ali

An exceptional film by filmmaker Mustafa Abu Ali (1940 - 2009), one of the pioneers of the Palestine Film Unit and a key figure in the Palestinian revolution. Captured by a French news team, the footage was meticulously edited by Mustafa in Lebanon, resulting in one of the earliest films depicting the occupied territory in Gaza. This cinematic masterpiece stands as the sole creation of the Palestine Cinema Group, later evolving into the esteemed Palestine Cinema Institute in 1974. The film explores the political landscape of the occupied territories in Gaza and Palestine, providing a distinctive perspective on the significance of armed resistance in the face of the occupier.

From the eye of the needle, 2022, 4 mins | Shereen Abdelkareem

“Through a Needle Hole” explores the unique social, cultural, and political landscape of Gaza City, shaped by over 15 years of an ongoing blockade. Every urban space has its distinct identity, influenced by external and internal factors, and Gaza’s is particularly marked by imposed and extraordinary conditions. Through four conceptual scenes, the film documents and simulates the evolving narrative of the city, presenting its struggles: “Men in the Sun” examines the blockade through the lens of the Rafah crossing; “Faded Image” highlights the pervasive issue of unemployment; “Under Fire” addresses the relentless impact of repeated aggression; and “Security Rejection” ventures into the challenges of restricted travel and movement. These scenes are crafted artistically and architecturally to reflect the layered visual and emotional landscape of Gaza, offering a poignant study of life under extraordinary circumstances.

Shereen Abedelkareem Hasanin was born in Gaza City in 1996. She is a visual artist and architect with a degree from the Islamic University of Gaza (IUG). Through her work, Abedelkareem navigates the metaverse, where she customizes digital presences, explores real-world applications using advanced tools, and connects users, creators, and businesses within the virtual 3D world. Her journey began with self-learning and various experiments in architecture and art in her own studio, followed by participation in several programs and training courses in contemporary art.