Najia Fatima

Interactive Performance, 2022

Created for PICTUREBERLIN Residency, September 2022.

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On July 6, 2022 my family and I mourned the loss of my khala (aunt) as she succumbed to the many bullet wounds that she was subjected to earlier that day by her ex-husband. My Khala’s relationship with him had taken a toll on her over the years. It was wrecked with senseless violence and abuse. The brutality that she had been subjected to ultimately took her life on that dreadful morning when he showed up outside her house and shot her. 

Ever since her passing, my mind has been grappling with repetitive thoughts and I remain trapped in a cycle of guilt, anger and frustration. Through my project ‘With Love’ I shifted the focus from a deep sense of loss to an act of remembrance. I taught my audience how to make origami roses as I shared the stories of my khala. The closeness of the round table created a space of deep intimacy where the audience shared their own experiences of grief and loss. We commemorated our relationships that have been a source of care and warmth in our lives.

The performance ran throughout the exhibition where we collectively created over a hundred origami roses.

With love, we created these roses for a Khala with whom I have shared many memories and days of laughter.

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