Material for an Exhibition

A powerful visual narrative unfolds in the halls of the Santa Giulia Museum with the exhibition Material for an Exhibition. Stories, memories and struggles from Palestine and the Mediterranean, a project curated by Sara Alberani. The exhibition restores voice and body to works saved from destruction, from Gaza, thanks to the action of the collective Eltiqa Group for Contemporary Art. Founded by Mohammed Al-Hawajri e Dina Mattar, this artistic reality represents a beacon in contemporary Palestinian cultural production. Also on display with them are works by the Lebanese artist Haig Aivazian and the famous Palestinian artist Emily Jacir, Golden Lion at the Venice Biennale in 2007.

The exhibition is a mosaic of memories, fights e resilience, articulated through installations, paintings, photographs and videos that bear witness to the wounds of conflict and the transformative power of art. The works of Al-Hawajri e Mattar reflect everyday life in Gaza and the importance of family memory. Those of Aivazian investigate the structures of power and surveillance, while Jacir invites us to an intimate confrontation with loss, history and the right to narrative.

Conceived within the’eighth edition of the Peace Festival, the exhibition conveys a profound message: the’art is an instrument of solidarity and justice, capable of breaking down walls and building bridges between the different geographies of the Mediterranean. The works on display come from prestigious international institutions such as the National Museum of Contemporary Art, Athens, the Sharjah Art Foundation and from private collections.

Completing the exhibition is a artistic residence in Brescia for Palestinian artists, a cycle of films at the New Eden Cinema and educational activities addressed to the public and schools. A unique opportunity to reflect on the social function of art and the urgency of preserving cultural memory in conflict contexts.

^{Photo Credit: Dina Mattar, The Peace, a work left under the rubble of Gaza during the 2023 bombings}