our songs were ready for all wars to come (2021) is a 22-minute film of choreographed scenes based on documented folktales from Palestine. The film begins with the haunting sound of a voice during four minutes of darkness, occasionally punctuated by sudden flashes of light. These reveal the perforated edge of the analogue pelicule, highlighting the nature of what we are (not) viewing as a mediated document. The voice we hear belongs to Palestinian singer Maya Khaldi, who sings a song in which various folktales form a collage. Images of performing women draw connections between stories about water wells and communal rituals dealing with disappearance, mourning and death.

our songs were ready for all wars to come explores folklore as both a source of knowledge and an instrument of criticism. What alternative models of social representation in Palestine could be found in folktales? How can folklore become a common tool for emancipation, enabling people to reclaim their history and land, and to rewrite ‘reality’?

about

Noor Abed (Palestine, 1988) works at the intersection of performance, media and film. Her artistic practice explores notions of choreography and the imaginary relationship of individuals, creating situations where social possibilities are both rehearsed and performed.