AL'AMTHAL

Ink on Paper, 2020-Ongoing

An important feature of Arabic language and culture, phrases (Al'Amthal) like these are used as a common form of communication in everyday speech. Some are shared across regions, others are specific to their own dialect and include nuanced and unique grammatical features. Drawn from a collection of Judaeo-Arabic phrases used in the Syrian Jewish community of Aleppo and Damascus, these are largely no longer in use by the community itself. After a forced relocation to the US after 2,000 years in Syria, the contemporary Syrian Jews' language has largely assimilated exclusively into English. Using these phrases in artworks is a way to ensure that they aren't forgotten altogether.

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These phrases were also used in a series of 22 spray painted murals on the streets of Jerusalem, created during a residency with ArtBnb (see under Street Art).