A4 Space
Join us for a very special tour with the artist Dima Srouji on 28 February, where she will introduce the new public art commission This Is Not Your Grave, a series of architecturally led sculptural interventions across Alserkal Avenue.
In times of desperation, compressed spaces such as tunnels, bathtubs, and staircases are repurposed as makeshift sanctuaries. The ongoing genocide in Gaza is a poignant reminder that architecture has deviated from its core purpose in serving as a shelter.
The functions of the three shelters placed within Alserkal Avenue include a Library beneath the staircase, a Sanctuary within the bathtub, and a Hearth inside the tunnel. These shelters are offered to those who accept the open invitation to congregate within, allowing for both planned and informal interactions. The installations also welcome spontaneous gatherings and brief encounters with passersby and the Alserkal community, encouraging visitors to transition from one shelter to the next.
About the Artist
Dima Srouji is an architect and visual artist exploring the ground as a deep space of rich cultural weight. Srouji looks for potential ruptures in the ground where imaginary liberation is possible. She works with glass, text, archives, maps, plaster casts, and film, understanding each as an evocative object and emotional companion that helps her question what cultural heritage and public space mean in the larger context of the Middle East and a focused lens on Palestine. Her projects are developed closely with archaeologists, anthropologists, sound designers, and glassblowers. Srouji was 2022-2023 Jameel Fellow at the Victoria & Albert Museum and is currently teaching the MA City Design studio Underground Palestine at the Royal College of Art in London. Her work is part of the permanent collections at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, Victoria & Albert Museum, Institut du Monde Arabe, Corning Museum of Glass and TBA21.