Basma al-Sharif
Basma al-Sharif (b. 1983) is a Palestinian artist working in cinema and installation whose practice looks at cyclical political conflicts, confronting legacies of colonialism in satirical, immersive and lyrical style. She has developed her practice nomadically between the Middle East, Europe and North America and is currently based in Berlin. Her films have screen widely at international film festivals and her major exhibitions include: the 5th edition of Kochi-Muziris Biennale, the Ruttenberg Contemporary Photography Series for the Museum of the Art Institute of Chicago, Modern Mondays at MOMA, CCA Glasgow, the Whitney Biennial, Berlin Documentary Forum, and Manifesta 8.
A hypnosis-inducing pan-geographic shuttle built on brainwave-generating binaural beats, Deep Sleep takes us on a journey through the sound waves of Gaza and competing sights of modern ruin. Precipitated by the artist’s restricted travel to Palestine, the work is an invitation to move between the corporeal self and the cinema space – transcending the limits of borders and the fallibility of memory.
The first of two screening programmes animating the work of Basma al-Sharif, BFMAF24 Filmmaker in Focus.
Born stateless and of Palestinian heritage, her work explores cyclical political histories and conflicts. In films and installations that move backward and forward in history, between place and non-place, she confronts the legacy of colonialism through satirical, immersive, and lyrical works.
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Basma al-Sharif’s first feature film is an experimental homage to the Gaza Strip and to the possibility of hope against hopelessness. Departing from the ancient symbol of the ouroboros – a snake eating its own tail – the film follows a man moving through different landscapes in search of a past lover. A multilingual journey through time and space reflecting on recurrent patterns of destruction and regeneration, representation and erasure.
The second of two screening programmes animating the work of Basma al-Sharif, BFMAF24 Filmmaker in Focus.
Born stateless and of Palestinian heritage, her work explores cyclical political histories and conflicts. In films and installations that move backward and forward in history, between place and non-place, she confronts the legacy of colonialism through satirical, immersive, and lyrical works.