The Evaporated Tears of Sand Roses | Rihab Essayh [residency presentation]

Residency Presentation
Wednesday November 6, 2024
Doors at 6:30 pm
Discussion at 7pm
At Ada X, 4001 rue Berri, # 201
>  Free & open to all
> Snacks and drinks will be served

Sand roses form through the evaporation of water and moisture, drawing from the sediments of desert landscapes—salt, minerals, and sand—all interconnected through this transformative process. What begins as barren sand and rock evolves into something strikingly beautiful, much like the experiences of the SWANA diaspora. Rihab Essayh’s research speaks to shared tears and collective trauma, highlighting moments of pain. Yet it is the process of evaporation that stands out; it symbolizes the catalyst for change and the collective support that enables us to heal and grieve together, forming the foundation of community. Join us among translucent sheets for a discussion with the artist moderated by Anna Shah Hoque.

Anna Shah Hoque is a South Asian-Persian independent curator and art writer with an emerging film practice. She is a doctoral candidate at the Institute of Feminist & Gender Studies, University of Ottawa. Her research focuses on embodied and visual archives among Indigenous and South Asian artists and curators within settler Canada. An adjunct professor at Mount Allison University, Anna has published in Asian Diasporic Visual Cultures and the Americas, Esse, C Magazine, and Canadian Journal of Communication, with forthcoming work from Amherst College Press and Journal of Palestine Studies. She serves on the board for Room Magazine and Gallery 101.