Renowned Palestinian photographer addresses the significance and distortions of memory in her new exhibition.
“For My Father” opened on 18 January 2016 at Ayyam Gallery Dubai, and will run until 3 March. In her debut exhibition with the gallery, Rula Halawani takes a journey into the Palestine of her past. She tells Art Radar how she strives to make her work relatable and about “being Palestinian in Palestine”.
Rula Halawani (b. 1964, Jerusalem) started out as a photojournalist, but after nine years, decided to alter her approach to the medium, using the camera to create art that was better attuned to her feelings and opinions. Her image-making is characterised by an experimental approach to documentation, such as through the use of negatives and filters. Her work explores the Palestinian experience under Occupation, as well as its spatial, architectural and material aspects. “For My Father” is a series of monochromatic, hazy images of significant places from Halawani’s childhood that have been distorted beyond recognition through the dual filters of memory and loss.
