THE FULL STORY

A real Palestinian Olive tree that greets visitors in the middle of the main exhibition room is the most eye-catching piece of the exhibition. It is part of In the shade of the sun, an exhibition showcasing new Palestinian artists at The Mosaic Rooms gallery in Earl’s Court.

While the olive tree is a symbol of Palestinian culture because of their abundance there, the multimedia installation Revolution is a forest by Xaytun Ennasr takes it to another level where they are heralded as a symbol of resistance. Throughout the exhibition, trees are celebrated through a variety of media such as drawings, poetry, ceramics, textiles, living olive and fig trees and interactive digital game. In doing so, Ennasr portrays the tree, like the Palestinian people, as resisting what is happening around it by surviving despite the surrounding tumult.

Two films were also part of the exhibition which explored themes affecting the daily lives of Palestinians such the as the distorted representation of Palestinians in the media. This was presented through a dysfunctional news broadcast in a film entitled Tomorrow, Again, by Mona Benyamin, situated near the entrance of the gallery. The second installation entitled The Melancholy of this useless afternoon by Dina Mimi reveals two videos and one textile exhibit reflecting the role of fugitive and smuggler presented through the lens of a bird and framed vest used to hide them.

While the exhibition would have been improved by the addition of more information throughout the gallery, the art around the symbol of trees as resistance and beautiful pieces adorning the walls such as the flag which read ‘To the Sea’ make the exhibition enticing and appealing for any visitor.

This exhibition is on at The Mosaic Rooms, between 6^th September, 2023 and 14^th January, 2024.