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She still wears kohl & smells like roses
No full textBut She Still Wears Kohl and Smells like Roses retells the story of a collection of glass vessels from the V&A collection that were excavated in Palestine and Syria. The replicas were produced in Palestine with local artisans, the Twam family, and an anonymous family that works in the black market to make and sell forgeries. The original vessels in the glass gallery are replaced with tomb cards that narrate the violence of exhuming bodies to retrieve the "grave goods" and illustrate the power of the female body in the history of archaeology. The installation was accompanied by an experimental film that stitches personal histories with the history of glass
A journey of the displaced: Making sense of the reflections
Get PDFDuring my year-long residency at the V&A as part of the Jameel Fellowship program, I explored the intersection of displacement, memory, and material culture through a methodical investigation of the museum's glass collection. As a Palestinian artist, I found myself deeply connected to the objects, many of which had been displaced, reflecting my own experiences. My research method began with a rational approach—organizing a list of 100 glass artifacts from the Middle East that I wanted to explore, categorizing them by type and origin. I focused on understanding how these objects arrived at the museum, who donated them, and the role colonial forces played in their displacement. However, I soon realized that this structured method was limiting, so I shifted to a more immersive approach. Rather than gathering data, I began to engage intimately with a smaller selection of objects. This shift allowed me to connect more deeply with each piece, exploring its textures, history, and emotional resonance. For example, while investigating a glass pendant of the goddess Astarte, I uncovered its likely Palestinian origins, despite being labeled as Syrian in the museum’s records. This discovery prompted me to delve into the history of biblical and colonial archaeology, and the implications of such mislabeling in the context of Palestinian displacement. My research also expanded beyond objects to architecture, particularly the use of glass in Ottoman windows. This research led to new works that blend glass, memory, and displacement, pushing my practice beyond its previous boundaries. Ultimately, my time at the V&A transformed my artistic process, shifting from broad historical research to a more personal and intimate exploration of the objects and their meanings
Maternal exhumations
Get PDF“Maternal Exhumations” by Dima Srouji reflects on the deeply intertwined relationship between Palestinian women and the land through the lens of archaeological practices, displacement, and memory. The essay explores the labor of Palestinian women, who historically have been involved in excavations in Palestine, performing the delicate task of unearthing fragments of their heritage. Their connection to the land is profound, as they not only engage with physical objects but with the emotional and spiritual traces left behind in the soil. The text juxtaposes the practices of Palestinian women with the colonial methods of excavation conducted by foreign archaeologists, highlighting the violence embedded in the removal of these objects from their rightful context. Srouji reflects on the personal significance of these objects, which include ancient artifacts, deities, and relics such as those of Astarte. She delves into how these relics are not merely historical objects but living symbols of Palestinian identity, cultural survival, and resilience. The displaced artifacts—often removed and stored in Western museums—carry with them the weight of colonialism and the violence of the separation from their rightful land and people. The essay also touches on the cyclical nature of the excavation and memory, drawing parallels between the act of exhumation and the maternal role of nurturing and caring for the living and the dead. Palestinian women, as protectors of cultural memory, continue the act of remembrance through their labor, connecting the past with the present. Through this narrative, Srouji brings attention to the importance of reclaiming both material culture and intangible memories, asserting the necessity for a new framework for understanding the relationship between people, land, and the objects that define their history
Depth unknown: Archaeology of resistance
Get PDFThis essay explores the complex layers of history and resistance embedded in the landscape of Gaza, where both ancient and contemporary forces converge in the struggle for Palestinian identity and survival. Drawing on the rich archaeological heritage of the region, the piece examines how the ground, marked by layers of time, holds not only the physical remnants of past civilizations but also the scars of ongoing violence and resistance. The ground, often treated as a site of destruction by external powers, is reimagined as an active participant in Palestinian resistance—through the archaeological traces left by ancient civilizations, the contested layers of land, and the subterranean tunnels that have become lifelines for Gaza's people. The essay critiques the Western extraction and objectification of Palestinian artefacts, contrasting this with the deep, living connection Palestinians maintain with their land and its history. The narrative underscores the persistence of Palestinian resilience, as the land itself serves as a dynamic witness to cycles of destruction and regeneration, resisting efforts to erase its history. The essay ultimately argues that the ground of Gaza, both a battlefield and sanctuary, is a powerful symbol of the endurance and liberation of the Palestinian people, whose traces, whether ancient or contemporary, refuse to be extinguished
Revolutionary enclosures (until the apricots)
No full textParticipating artists: Majd Abdel Hamid, Yana Bachynska, Rehaf Al Batniji, Paula Valero Comín, Saad Eltinay, D Harding, Adelita Husni-Bey, Nge Lay, Olivier Marboeuf, Koushna Navabi, Shada Safadi, Dima Srouji and Jasbir Puar. Contributions by: DAAR—Sandi Hilal and Alessandro Petti, Initiative for Practices and Visions of Radical Care (Bani Khoshnoudi, Magdi Masaraa, Elena Sorokina), Maya Al Khaldi and Sarouna, Zora Snake, Saul Williams and Anisia Uzeyman. Curated by Nataša Petrešin-Bachelez Created by Alserkal Initiatives in partnership with Cité internationale des arts in collaboration with Lightbox
Charts for a resurrection
No full textCharts for a Resurrection is an exploration that navigates the Palestinian landscape through the lens of potential liberation. As an artist, architect and researcher based between Ramallah and London, Srouji intertwines historical artefacts with visionary archaeological sites and pays homage to the resilient Palestinian women who unearthed them. Spanning two distinct spaces, the exhibition invites visitors on a contemplative journey. In the chapel, an intimate apse adorned with ethereal replicas of archeological vessels evokes rituals of burial once practiced in Gaza. Here, amidst the unfolding tragedy in Palestine, the chapel serves as a sanctuary for mourning and meditation, fostering healing and envisioning the afterlives of the departed. The larger space celebrates fragments from the terrain, envisioning future monuments through stone-carved windows and innovative installations. A mirrored grid installation prompts reflection on past, present, and future Palestinian landscapes, inviting viewers to imagine archaeological sites centuries from now. Each element in this exhibition, from the replicated artefacts to the speculative monuments, encourages viewers to engage with the layered history and potential futures of Palestine. This new body of work is a testament to the power of imagination and the resilience of a people striving for liberation
Maternal exhumations
No full textSquare grids were used in archaeological excavations in Palestine to exhume bodies, vessels, tomb goods, and other valuable artefacts from the subterranean depths of the holy land. Hundreds of thousands of these artefacts were then looted by multiple global institutions over the course of the last century. The labour of excavation was taken on by Palestinian women usually from the village itself. Most of the time these women were also the landowners and those who nurtured the ground with their own hands as farmers. This 9 square grid installation is an ode to those women and an experiment in imagining the vessels returning to their soil. The second iteration of Maternal Exhumations was commissioned by Artvisor for this exhibition
Vignettes of subterranean Palestine
Get PDFIn Vignettes of Subterranean Palestine, Dima Srouji explores the complex relationship between archaeology, land, and identity in Palestine, focusing on the ongoing settler-colonial violence and the weaponization of archaeological sites. Drawing on the rich historical narrative embedded within the layers of Palestinian soil, Srouji emphasizes the ongoing erasure of Palestinian heritage and the manipulation of archaeological sites by Israeli state actors. The article engages with the contemporary challenges Palestinians face in preserving their history while confronting the encroachment of Israeli settlements, military control, and state-sponsored tourism aimed at perpetuating a Zionist narrative. The text examines the role of the Israeli military and state authorities in managing and controlling archaeological sites, particularly in Area C of the West Bank, where Palestinian access is restricted. Srouji highlights how these sites, once vital to Palestinian cultural and communal life, are increasingly being militarized, marked as national parks, and used to promote a singular, Zionist historical narrative. Through the case studies of Sebastia, Silwan, and Taquu, Srouji illustrates the systemic dispossession and displacement faced by Palestinian communities living near these archaeological sites. The piece critiques the ongoing excavation practices, which often disregard the multi-layered histories of the land in favor of an ideologically driven narrative that privileges Israeli claims to the territory. Srouji also draws attention to the resistance of Palestinian communities who continue to use these archaeological sites for public gatherings and acts of defiance against the Israeli occupation. By weaving together historical and contemporary accounts, the article underscores the urgency of decolonizing archaeological practices and reclaiming Palestinian heritage from the forces that seek to distort and erase it
Maintaining the sacred
No full textMaintaining the Sacred: on April 15, 2022, in the course of an incursion into the Haram al Sharif in Jerusalem, Israeli forces destroyed 30 colored glass windows (qamariyyas) in the Dome of the Rock and Aqsa Mosque. Each window, of hand-carved plaster with individually inset pieces of glass, takes six months to remake. The technique is a dying craft with a few practitioners in Yemen, one in Cairo, and another in Jerusalem. The reconstruction of the windows is currently blocked by the Israeli authorities, but it would take 15 years to repair all of them. This installation is in honor of the history of craft, the worshippers seeking a connection with the spiritual world despite the fragility of the space, and to the bodies protecting our public space
A century of subtrranean abuse in Sebastiya
Get PDFDima Srouji’s section titled "A Century of Subterranean Abuse in Sabastiya" explores the long history of archaeological expeditions in Sabastiya, a village in the Nablus region, and its intersection with ongoing struggles over land and heritage. Srouji examines how the village has experienced multiple waves of archaeological excavation, beginning with efforts from major institutions like Harvard University and Hebrew University, among others. Each excavation, however, brought with it not only a deeper understanding of the site's biblical significance but also a growing intrusion into Palestinian land and livelihoods. Through the lens of "militarized archaeology," Srouji delves into how Israeli archaeological control, under the authority of the Civil Administration, has become another means of territorial annexation, where sites like Sabastiya are increasingly subjected to Israeli state governance. This piece critically engages with the colonial implications of archaeological practices, shedding light on how such excavations are often framed within narratives that marginalize Palestinian histories and erase their connection to these spaces. Srouji’s investigation underscores the ways in which archaeology in the West Bank, particularly in Sabastiya, is inseparable from broader dynamics of settler colonialism, as excavations continue to serve not just academic purposes but as tools for territorial control and ideological manipulation. The piece calls for a rethinking of archaeological practices in Palestine, advocating for the inclusion of Palestinian perspectives and the restoration of their rightful connection to these ancient sites
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