The works featured in the Ascending Cycles exhibition relate to the dynamics of concealment and revelation. These works lift our gaze, open our eyes, and help us see and perceive the stories we were once blind to. The cohesion of the exhibited works lies in their tactile sensibility. Despite carrying heavy and profound messages, their sensitive surfaces and fine craftsmanship help the viewer connect directly with the issues these works bring to light.
Phoenix and Exhibition Road reveal the physical scars of the Second World War, focusing on the meaninglessness and ambivalence of systemic destruction. While the former commemorates the destruction of the Friedrichswerder German cemetery and the war victims buried there, the latter traces the barely visible outlines of the bombs, grenades, and machine gun bullets that caused great devastation on Exhibition Road in Kensington, London, during WWII.
Amina’s Tears address the invisibility of female narratives. The former emphasizes the emotional richness of women living behind the mashrabiya. At the same time, in Everything I Wanted to Tell You, the artist reflects on her grandparents’ personal stories from the war. Both works highlight absence: women’s experiences behind the mashrabiya are as inaccessible as the unspoken stories of women from past generations.
