AS I FIND MY PLACE
February 17 to April 20 , 2024
Curated By Farnoosh Talaee & Jude Abuzaineh
As I Find My Place unfolds as a gesture to homelands, place(lessness), and placemaking. The show intertwines personal and collective journeys of exile, migration, and adaptation, symbolizing resilience and growth amidst displacement and adversity through (de)colonial frameworks. Ten artists examine our current landscapes in meaningful interpretations across disciplines, inviting you to a space where narratives of belonging, identity, and culture converge, reimagining home as a site in continuous flux.
As I Find My Place welcomes artists hailing from the Middle East and fosters the pursuit of finding one’s place within a culture deeply intertwined with their artistic practices. The Middle East stands as the cradle of civilization, the birthplace of major religions such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, all stemming from a shared tradition. Maps serve as potent tools in comprehending the world, particularly the Middle East, a region shaped by ever-shifting political borders and diverse demographics. A century ago, the French and British remapped the Middle East, crafting new boundaries for fledgling nation-states, guided by compliant tribal leaders after the conclusion of World War I. However, in the days before this reconfiguration, the people of the Middle East, with their varied religions, ethnicities, languages, and beliefs, coexisted harmoniously, embracing and respecting their differences. As I Find My Place has afforded me the opportunity to illuminate the region’s rich history and culture, which existed long before the hands of American, French, and British colonialism tainted its essence.
