The Sound of the Pigeon

Sound Collage

"بابا في صوت للزنانة؟"

"لا يا بابا هادي حمامة"

 "Baba, is this the sound of the drone?"
"No, Baba, that's a pigeon."

What happens when the sound of oppression merges with the sound of resistance?

The Sound of the Pigeon" is an audio collage that combines selections of sounds, some recorded by me, others sourced from my research. This work is part of my exploration into Palestinian identity, particularly the impact of the drone “zananeh”" on the psyche. The drone's sound is a constant presence that stifles the ability to dream of the future or reflect on the past. In contrast, I observed that Gazans often turn to music and singing to momentarily escape or give their minds a break from the overwhelming noise. This led me to reflect on the concept of the "large prison" and the "prison outside the prison." I examined how certain sounds or tools prevent thoughts from drifting into dreams and hopes, and how Palestinians in the diaspora, through their practices, have found ways to reclaim their mental space and liberate themselves from this numbing state.

The Sound of the Pigeon – 2024, explores how auditory landscapes, shaped by both oppression and resilience, reflect the complex layers of identity and memory within the context of Palestinian experiences. The project began with an investigation into the "Zananeh," the name Palestinians use for the loud surveillance drones that constantly hover above, imposing severe psychological restrictions and stifling the ability to dream. I was particularly inspired by Jabra Ibrahim Jabra’s writings on "dreaming" as a form of escape, where he explores the act of dreaming as a way of distancing oneself from both the past and the future under oppressive circumstances.

During my exploration, I noticed a phenomenon in Gaza: people sing over the constant drone noise, using music as a means to temporarily escape its psychological weight and give their minds a break. Thinking about that through Walid Daqqa’s writings about the redefining of torture to threaten the psychological led me to think about the "large prison" and the "prison outside the prison," and what the searing of consciousness acts are on Palestinians, especially in the diaspora.  Then, I explored the corresponding counter-Palestinian thoughts and practices for liberating from this numbing state, especially sounds and auditory scenes, which I ended up combining in a sound collage.

 Created as part of the 2024 Summer Academy at Darat Al Funun, Amman