As I prepare for this show, I am in the process of packing and unpacking my Aunt’s flat in Cairo. At 94, she has recently moved into a care home, leaving behind a lifetime of belongings gathered since the early 1960s. Each object carries memory, history, and emotion—fragments of peaceful and turbulent times, both personal and regional.
Once-treasured possessions that adorned dining tables, mantles, and dresser tops are now relics of another era. Threads, textiles, and buttons that once formed part of elegant outfits are now stuffed into bin bags, on their way to landfill. Heavy furniture, once central to family gatherings, no longer fits the realities of today’s smaller living spaces. These objects bear witness to her life and, in many ways, to mine. Yet I am left asking: what becomes of them—of us—when we can no longer care for ourselves, or when we are forced to leave our homes in times of upheaval, danger, or war?
Small House Gallery offers the perfect space to unravel and unpack these questions. Constantly on the move, my recent practice has focused on creating portable sculptures and installations—works that can fit into a bag yet carry multiple layers of meaning. This installation weaves together memory, identity, and heritage, using items passed down through my family and skills I reclaimed from my Egyptian grandmother and aunt. Techniques such as crochet, knitting and embroidery —once dismissed as mere women’s work—become powerful tools for storytelling, resilience, and connection.
