BeYonDerM, 2022
BeYonDerM was an exhibition primarily composed of paintings, produced between 2018 and 2022 and exhibited at Remote Gallery.
The exhibition showcased multilayered representations of the human body. Characters, both physically and conceptually, transcend humanist proportions. The body is stretched, shattered, stripped, and skinned—hollowed to become one with its surroundings. Androgynous, quasi-human, and in states of limbo, the foreground becomes background, inner and outer are interchangeable. Language becomes leaky, skin porous, and categories ambiguous. The title itself, BeYonDerM, assumes various intonations: Be, Beyond, Yonder, Dermis. The blending of words and the dissolution of their boundaries create a new term, unapologetically non-rational.
This body of work serves as a personal reflection on national, gender, and human identities, starting in early adulthood with my immigration to Toronto. Many of the pieces reflect my process of collating materials within the city, tracing my ever-changing relationship with this new environment. For instance, Synth (2022) playfully integrates discarded synthetic fabrics from various contexts, such as N-95 masks, plastic mesh bags, and a skipping rope. The protagonist bonds with these materials, both physically and narratively. Ripe Roots (2017–2019), one of my earliest works, collages remnants of paper from my initial months living in Toronto. By incorporating icons from retail brands like Roots and Air Jordan, the work examines how such words take on new meanings in a new consumer culture.
Additional works like Past-ing Time, Palestine (2021) and the two intaglio prints, الشمس والنفس / The Sun and the Self (2019), delve into the realities of the Palestinian diaspora, in conjunction with my own personal journey of Palestinian identity exploration. A Ceremony (2022) and Push (2022), hung next to one another at the beginning of the exhibition, contemplate notions of birth—be it the birth of bodies, relationships, or time. At the heart of the exhibition lies tO Our lOst iNNer childreN (2021). This centrifugal sound work invites listeners to engage with the pieces from various vantage points. It serves to converse with the paintings as it sonically probes the nexus between inner and outer spaces. The listener is guided through temporal shifts and indeterminate locations. Sound perforates the painted body, leaving one with disassembled parts.
List of Works
(1). A Ceremony (2022), Collaged Canvas, incense sticks, paper, dried acrylic, acrylic on Canvas, 24” x 24”
(2). Push (2022), Rope, nails, washi paper and acrylic on Canvas, 30” x 60”
(3). Past-ing Time, Palestine (2021), Recycled bread tags, reusable bottle cap, keffiyeh, plaster, pumice, acrylic on Canvas, 4ft x 3ft
(4). (الشمس والنفس (2019 , Varied Edition Prints, Drypoint, aquatint and chine-collé on Rag paper, 9" x 10" (Plate), 15" x 18" (Paper).
(5). Pride (2019), Mixed paper, cardboard, beer bottle caps, and acrylic on Canvas, 24” x 30”
(6). Faded (2016), Screenprint, 12” x 15.5”
(7). Am I Stuck Enough? (2020), Acrylic, washi paper on Canvas, 24” x 30”
(8). Ripe Roots (2017 - 2019), Watercolor, oil pastel, alcohol-based markers, acrylic on mixed collage, 22” x 24”
(9). ana (2020), Mixed paper and acrylic on paper, 10” x 10”
(10). Synth (2022), N-95 masks, plastic mesh bags, pink jumping rope, PVA, washi paper, iridescent paint, acrylic on canvas, 4ft x 2ft
(11). (--> tO Our lOst iNNer childreN (2021), Sound (5 min 37 sec)