The Carpet Of Return

Currently exhibited at Institute of Social Studies/ Erasmus University. The Hague, till end December 2025

I have been gently and firmly sculpting and knitting this ‘carpet of return’ for almost half a year. The slow and silent process connected me to 9000 years of pottery-making in Palestine. Among the whispering sound of threads being tied, I connected to the largest refugee group in the world, my fellow Palestinians. We have been yearning to return home for 75 years. The carpet resembles the ancient Kufiyya scarf, which was used to protect from the sun, and in the winter from the wind. This sophisticated item has survived for a few thousand years and has become a symbol of freedom and dignity. Its design integrates olive leaves, fishing nets, flying birds and crossroads. Moulding the clay between my palms, no two pieces are alike, just like the diverse Palestinians. The carpet is a work in process, I will continue developing it, patiently, until the last refugee returns; then I will tie the last knot.