Abdulrahman Katanani (Palestinian, B. 1983)

The work of Abdulrahman Katanani is made with the toughest metal, harsh materials in the literary sense of the word to portray simple imageries from our life, examples of 'kids jumping a rope', 'a seated woman meditating', or simply a 'silhouette of the holy city'. It is always about a very simple human facet of our life. Subjects in seclusion from the reality shock of the human conditions of these same human beings, as all of what he finds, molds, and reconstructs comes from Palestinian refugee camps. His work contemplates the life of the Palestinians living in the camps. A place where the wire of the chicken hen is used as a defense system for the fragile housing, the barbed wires are used to keep the refugees in order, and the bicycle is the only medium of transportation and commuting in the camps.

The present lot by Katanani portrays a very light jewel like Oud player, made out of bicycle parts, wires, and metal sheets. He is floating on a wall, being lifted from the ground, transported spiritually by the harmonies and tunes of his Oud. All these elements of extremely dry nature and ugly truth come to life to play music, with a very strong determination to survive the battle for the stronger cause, to dream, and to sing.