workshop
The Material Witness
A Workshop Facilitated by Eleri Connick

8 – 22 May 2023

Like people, objects also fall victim to displacement and can find themselves brought along into exile. These objects become more than just mementoes; they are survivors, witnesses and carriers of stories. 

Seeking to discover the material objects in the Palestinian Houses of Amman, and their power as material witnesses to Palestinian exile, this workshop will make use of group readings, story-telling, visualization and an exploration of the Darat al Funun archives to look at how the objects within houses become symbols and objects of resistance. The workshop will culminate in a creative-based session led by artist Raed Ibrahim. 

Facilitated by Darat al Funun, PhD fellow Eleri Connick, this workshop invites individuals interested in Palestinian memory and heritage to explore what material objects in Palestinian houses tell us about the present day. The workshop will provide a unique opportunity to delve into the alternative dynamics of cultural heritage and to build knowledge on the powerful role of objects as material witnesses.  

The workshop is in English. 

Eleri Connick is a Darat al Funun PhD fellow and PhD Candidate at The University of Amsterdam Centre for Heritage, Memory and Material Culture.

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