I belong

As part of the Dalston Pavilion Public Programme, I created a performance that was a visceral exploration of displacement and identity. Through a stark and symbolic act, I wove threads dipped in fake blood into a white canvas, then flagellated it with olive tree branches also dipped in fake blood. This powerful and disturbing visual metaphor conveyed my harrowing experience of fleeing the war in Syria and the subsequent struggle to find belonging in a new land. The piece culminated in the planting of an olive tree branch in soil and its symbolic "watering" with blood. This final act represented my hope for resilience, growth, and a future rooted in peace and belonging.

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Photos by Eda Sancakdar