Somoud in Dark Times

Somoud In Dark Times stirs questions​ that have long framed photographic discourse: can photographs capture the full horror of atrocity? How​ does text shape our perception of these images and​ what language is used to describe atrocity? Is it genocide,​ or acts of genocide? Palestinians in Gaza, the Occupied​ West Bank, and throughout the global diaspora know​ that they are living through or are witnessing genocide–​and domocide, the intentional and widespread​ destruction of housing.

Dr. Rehab Nazzal is a Palestinian visual artist and​ educator who lives between the Occupied West Bank and​ Montreal. Her practice prioritizes the effects of settler-​colonial violence on the minds and bodies of colonized​ people, on all forms of life, and​ on the land. Before and​ since the Gaza Genocide began on October 8, 2023,​ Nazzal​ has photographed fellow West Bank residents.​ Shared on Instagram, despite the​ platform’s racist​ censorship of support for Palestinians, the photographs​ reflect kinship, solidarity, and ﺻﻤﻮد (soumoud), resilience.”