Canoe Art Installation (2024)
Crafted Canoe: hessian, straw, metal frame, 3m x 50cm
Painting: Acrylic on canvas, 213 x 136cm
Silk Prints: two prints on silk of the original painting with reversed version, each 139 x 2.22cm
Wooden Base with Arabic Calligraphy: circular wooden base, 3m diameter, laser cut Arabic letters
Sketch and colours.
Ambient Sound Recording: An audio component capturing the natural sounds of the mangroves, recorded with a hydrophone and Zoom sound recorder. This immersive experience allows viewers to connect with the environment on a sensory level.
This installation reflects my immersive experiences through sound, texture, and imagery, capturing the essence of sketching within mangrove ecosystems and offering a personal interpretation of these unique, biodiverse landscapes. Central to the work is a painting of mangroves as seen from a canoe, symbolising my profound connection to nature. Here, roots transform into Arabic calligraphy, intertwining cultural heritage with the natural world.
The handcrafted canoe, adorned with artistic tools in place of fish, symbolises a symbiotic adaptation to the environment. It is surrounded by calligraphic texts, creating a narrative space. Concealed pockets within the canoe represent a special vessel for art-making, safeguarding creative tools, while the canoe itself embodies an extension of my physical self—a vessel through which I intimately engage with the mangroves.
A circular wooden base, connected to the painting by a rope, evokes the concept of cyclical time. The reversed silk prints further explore this theme, representing the reconnection of past, present, and future, drawing inspiration from Indigenous worldviews. Tyrian purple—a colour historically connected to the ancient Phoenicians conveys spirituality, mystery, and heritage, reflecting my Syrian identity and resonating with the Islamic appreciation for symbolic colour.
The silk print of the painting, along with its reversed image, explores themes of continuity across time, echoing the spiritual dimensions I perceive within the mangroves. Tactile elements in the installation encourage interaction, bridging the spiritual and physical realms. The contrast between the softness of the silk, the roughness of the hessian, and the wooden base invites viewers to physically engage with the work, fostering a deeper connection to the mangroves.
two prints on silk of the original painting with reversed version, each 139 x 2.22cm
Warm tones throughout invite reflection on the dynamic interplay between external and internal spaces, offering a contemplative experience that underscores themes of belonging, continuity, and my intimate connection to the mangroves. This installation embodies my identity and artistic journey, incorporating traditional techniques in weaving, stitching, and painting to express my lived experience of the mangroves—a place I consider home.
Through this work, I seek to challenge the Western and colonial perception of mangroves as unsightly landscapes. As an artist and researcher, I view mangroves as beautiful and ecologically essential, critical in their role in mitigating climate change. Ultimately, this installation aspires to foster community harmony by encouraging environmental stewardship, with the spiritual colours and Islamic motifs—particularly the Arabic script—subtly highlighting the universality of Islamic values and the valuable contributions of Muslim communities to Australian society and ecology.