Seven Gestures Towards (non)Wayfaring
Joud Toamah
Moussem resident Joud Toamah is part of festival BEYOND THE BLACK BOX in Antwerp!
The installation Seven Gestures Towards (non)Wayfaring follows a journey along the banks of the Euphrates, between 1945 and 2013.
This work by Joud Toamah deals with displacement, memory, and the ability (or inability) to return. With film footage by Mohamad Al-Roumi and poetry by Abd al-Qadir Ayyash, stories come to life. Image and sound—such as chants, lullabies, and audio recordings—take you along the river and evoke memories. The work also refers to the violence in the region, where bridges and waterways were destroyed. As a result, people became cut off from one another, from their surroundings, and from the water.
The installation invites you to listen and reflect on what was lost and on how memories persist. In this way, the river becomes a witness to the past and present.
Seven Gestures Towards (non)Wayfaring / للعابرين مسالك سبع
Multi-media installation: Joud Toamah
Sound composition and production: Esmail Bnaoe
Image credits: ‘Bleu-gris’ by Mohamad Al-Roumi (2005) / Alfurate / Omar Toamah / Abd al-Fattah Ja’far
Graphic design: Joud Toamah
Lullabies, chants and poems: ‘From the Euphrates Tales’ by Abd al-Qadir Ayyash.
Moussem Nomadic Arts Centre for offering time and support during my long-term artist residency.
