MORNING NIGHTMARE / 2022

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The work is based on a dream I had some years ago. In that dream, or perhaps nightmare, I saw myself looking out of my window to check if my school uniform in Syria was dry enough to wear. Some people in Syria used to hang laundry out of windows or balconies to dry in the open air. To my surprise, I found that my uniform was not dry and was a much larger size than my normal one, which was quite frightening for me.

In this work, I re-sew my school uniform, which has been the official uniform for middle and high school students in Syria for several generations. The design resembles a military uniform but is four times larger than my actual size.

Upon examining the artwork, one can perceive the monotonous nature of our daily lives. It serves as a reminder that our existence can sometimes become a series of routines and strict organization, akin to military life, to the point of tedium. More significantly, the oversized uniform symbolizes an idea or ideology that we might blindly follow, ultimately stifling our freedom of expression and eroding our individualism and identity.

700cm x 250cm  
 

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