The Great March of Return

“I photographed, when I lived in Jerusalem, 19th century Palestinian costumes from different areas in Palestine. Then, in Everland years later, I did a photo collage on the computer to create new stitch styles and forms. And the result, as you saw, makes Everland look or feel as if it represents other cultures, connecting Palestine to the world… The collage of Everland took hundreds of hours to make sure there were smooth transitions from one ‘stitch to the next’, from one form to the other.” Steve Sabella

Everland is a series of nine separate artworks, each artwork is a photo collage of Palestinian embroidery decorations sewn and woven on a wide variety of traditional costumes. This disappearing tradition is passed from generation to generation by women who sew patterns and motifs to reveal their heritage, ancestry, and place of origin. The embroidery is derived from geometric forms. Everland celebrates all the charm that comes out of Palestine, a place where everything gets disrupted. Yet, the collage-style enables the different cross stitches, among other techniques, to penetrate deep into new borders, creating unique designs that look as if they represent every other culture.

Every time Everland will be on display, the squares will be put in a different constellation, including their orientation to any side. This way, Everland will always have endless possibilities, creating a new visual, forever changing.
Edition 1/6 of the Museum Edition (size 80/80 cm each) was added to the collection of the Institut Du Monde Arabe, Paris – France
* This artwork can be sold separately or in a group of more than one artwork