2004
Unique Work
Materials: fabric, feathers and threads on wooden frame

bokja.com

Beirut-based design collective Bokja presents Owning Our Shadow, a lyrical tapestry composed through an intricate assemblage technique. The work is a tribute to the resilience of the Lebanese people in the face of recent years of hardship, from the devastating Beirut port explosion of August 4, 2020, to the continuing instability that has followed, including the war. 

The tapestry features a quote from Kahlil Gibran: “We are all like the bright moon; we still have our darker side.” The words reference the idea that true strength lies in accepting all facets of one’s experience. As cofounder Huda Baroudi explains, “It is a depiction of this period, the balancing act between hope and exhaustion. It is a testament to how we fix our broken hearts: we mend them with stitches, we put them into artwork, and in doing so, we tell our story and our community’s story.”

The tapestry was born out of Bokja’s need to create during the war in Lebanon. It was produced in the studio’s retail shop, after their atelier was temporarily closed and the machines were moved there. Every member of the 30 person-collective had a hand in its making.

The work is composed of two panels that meet at a window form, evocative of Lebanese architectural motifs, many of which have been destroyed in recent years. At its center, a woman recalls Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus. Yet, unlike Venus who shields herself, Bokja’s figure stands unapologetically, flaunting her body, illuminated, and claiming her place in the world. As cofounder Maria Hibri reflects, “This tapestry is a celebration of our ability to rise, to heal, and to persevere.” 

“Together, we shine forward.”