Luma Westbau, Zurich, Switzerland
07.06 - 08.09.2024
Santu Mofokeng’s poignant assertion — that home is an appropriated, elusive space, a fiction created out of a need to belong —forms the conceptual core of photographer Ahlam Shibli’s latest exhibition, ‘Dissonant Belonging’ at LUMA Westbau in Zurich. Curators Vassilis Oikonomopoulos and Adam Szymczyk, in collaboration with Shibli, offer a deeply intimate exploration of belonging. The exhibition delves into the fragmented experiences of belonging and displacement, drawing the viewer into an overwhelming journey through identity, memory, and the ceaseless quest for home.
Shibli was born in 1970 in Palestine. Her artistic practice centres around negotiating home amidst the complexities of the Palestinian experience of occupation and identity. In her 2013 essay ‘The Truth in My Photographs,’ Shibli articulates this thematic focus, stating; “The different series I have produced over time are concerned with one single issue that each new work reconsiders under changing contextual conditions. My concern is the issue of Home.”
Ahlam Shibli, untitled (Occupation no. 21), al-Khalil/Hebron, Palestine, 2016–17, chromogenic print, 26,7 x 40 cm.
Old house of the Sufyan al-Ja’abari family, al-Tullab Street, al-Khalil, January 25, 2017.
Sufyan breeds pigeons and goats in his family’s old house. The settlement Giv’at Ha’avot adjoins the family house and includes the Israeli Ja’abrah prison and police station. Both are used against Palestinians as well as Israeli activists who oppose the occupation. Courtesy of the artist, © Ahlam Shibli
Shibli’s work is distinguished by the integration of contextual writings, a practice she attributes to a 2007 conversation with David Goldblatt and Santu Mofokeng. This textual accompaniment provides crucial context, allowing viewers to fully grasp the nuances of her photographs. The writings are not collateral but integral to understanding her work.
The brilliance of Shibli’s work lies in her ability to reveal what we don’t see but is present. As Hannah Feldman, associate professor of art history at Northwestern University, points out, “What is known to a Palestinian about Al Khalil, for instance, might be very different from what is known to a Swiss.” Shibli’s work communicates powerfully in a register that exists beyond where we locate the truths that are verifiable as tangible realities. ‘Dissonant Belonging’ allows us to witness the narrative through the eyes of the other, bridging precipitation and unveiling hidden cultural nuances that we might not be privy to.
Ahlam Shibli, untitled (Occupation no. 23), al-Khalil/Hebron, Palestine, 2016–17, chromogenic print, 40 x 60 cm.
The house of the Hashem and Nisreen Azzeh family, Othman ben Affan Street, Tel Rumeida, al-Khalil, December 4, 2016.
The three children of Hashem Azzeh—Younis, Khaled, and Hanan—together with their cousin Ahmad. They are watching a technician install a television set, donated by a Danish solidarity delegation. Hashem Azzeh was killed by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) on October 21, 2015, poisoned by tear gas that was used in a clash between young Palestinians and Israeli forces. Courtesy of the artist, © Ahlam Shibli
Her images often project a sense of normality and mundane existence, but closer inspection reveals deeper narratives. In Untitled (Occupation no. 23), Al-Khalil/Hebron, Palestine, 2016–17, a family is transfixed on an off-frame event in a modest Palestinian living room. A drawing on the wall depicts a mother cuddling her dead child, a grim premonition revealed by the caption: “The three children of Hashem Azzeh — Younis, Khaled, and Hanan — together with their cousin Ahmad. They are watching a technician install a television set, donated by a Danish solidarity delegation. Hashem Azzeh was killed by the Israeli Defense Forces on October 21, 2015, poisoned by tear gas used in a clash between young Palestinians and Israeli forces.”
The “Occupation” series (Al-Khalil/Hebron, Palestine, 2016-17) presents a stark portrayal of life under Israeli occupation, highlighting how Palestinian society appropriates the very infrastructure of oppression. Shibli’s lens captures the resilience and ingenuity of a people determined to carve out a semblance of normalcy in the face of systemic violence and segregation. In Untitled (Occupation no. 21), Al-Khalil/Hebron, Palestine, 2016–17, a kitchen overrun with pigeons and doves reveals the old family house of Sufyan al-Ja’abari. Sufyan breeds pigeons and goats in the house, which adjoins the Israeli settlement Giv’at Ha’avot. This juxtaposition underscores the ongoing struggle for normalcy amidst occupation, given that Palestinians as well as Israeli activists who oppose the occupation are detained in the Israeli Ja’abrah prison and police station which is housed in the settlement.
Ahlam Shibli, untitled (Horse race in Jericho, no.3), Jericho, Palestine, 1997, gelatin silver print, 38 × 58 cm. © and courtesy the artist.
Another striking body of work in the exhibition is “Horse Race in Jericho” (Jericho, Palestine, 1997). This series captures a fleeting moment of joy and tradition in the wake of the Oslo Accords, when the traditional horse race, once a hallmark of Jericho, was revived. Shibli’s work is not merely observational; she is an active participant in the narratives she constructs. In Untitled (Horse Race in Jericho no. 2), Jericho, Palestine, 1997, two boys intently watch the race from atop a hill, with the photographer’s shadow cast in the foreground—a subtle assertion of her presence and participation in the scene.
Shibli’s practice affords a fragile space of resistance for both her subjects and viewers, transforming the act of spectating into one of connecting and witnessing. In Untitled (Horse Race in Jericho no. 3), Jericho, Palestine, 1997, two jockeys race, captured from the boys’ line of sight. This choice shifts the viewer’s gaze from mere observation to a deeper connection and witnessing for and with others.
The juxtaposition of past and present is another recurring theme in Shibli’s work. In “Ramallah Archive” (Ramallah, Palestine, 2014), Shibli explores the spectral presence of Palestinian families through historical photo negatives, archival documents, and contemporary images of Ramallah. This body of work exemplifies her talent for uncovering hidden narratives and imbuing her images with a profound sense of history and memory.
Installation view ‘Ahlam Shibli – Dissonant Belonging’, Luma Westbau, Zurich, 2024. Photo: Annik Wetter
The exhibition’s ambitious scope, featuring seven bodies of work in a confined gallery space, can feel overwhelming. The sheer volume of information presented might have benefitted from fewer series, allowing for moments of reflection and a more manageable pace for viewers to absorb the contextual nuances.
A palpable divide emerges in the exhibition between works addressing the Palestinian issue and those tackling broader themes in Europe. While the curatorial strategy appears to be aimed at presenting relatable narratives for a European audience, the urgency of the Palestinian subject matter often overshadows the other projects. Nevertheless, the thematic significance of the Europe-based works should not be overlooked. These pieces illuminate contemporary reverberations from the continent, some directly linked to Europe’s tumultuous history. For instance, “Trauma” (Corrèze, France, 2008–09) examines French citizens who resisted German occupation and later participated in anti-independence wars in Indochina and Algeria. Similarly, other works delve into themes of identity and belonging within a shifting social fabric, as exemplified by “Dom Dziecka. The house starves when you are away” (Poland, 2008) and “Belonging” (Arles and its surroundings, France, 2022-23).
Shibli’s ‘Dissonant Belonging’ at LUMA Westbau is a resonant examination of the abiding quest for home and identity. Her lens captures the duplexity of resilience and displacement, normalcy and upheaval, providing viewers with an astute engagement with the Palestinian experience and broader themes of belonging. While the exhibition’s scope might feel overwhelming, the depth of Shibli’s narrative exploration ensures a powerful and reflective journey through the fragments of identity and memory, highlighting the universal human yearning to create a shared sense of belonging.
