Larissa Sansour’s show interweaves topical themes like forced migration and
intergenerational trauma with imaginary worlds using science fiction, opera, and
documentary materials.
Past, present and possible futures converge in this exhibition by Palestinian–Danish artist
Larissa Sansour (b. 1973), which seeks to create space for new ways of thinking about historical
narratives and the right to home and land. Sansour’s video works and installations address
themes such as loss and inherited trauma, expanding to explore grief, memory, and the
persistent threat of environmental catastrophe.
The exhibition offers an opportunity to reflect not only on the long history of the Israel-Palestine
conflict but also on broader issues of national identity, shared human experiences, and
collective memory. At its best, art provides a platform for discussing even the most difficult
topics.
Larissa Sansour’s works are cinematic, poignantly beautiful, and multilayered. She blends layers
of fact, fiction, and political history with topical themes in an aesthetically compelling way. The
cinematic, precise visuality of the works invites viewers to immerse themselves in future
landscapes where new ways to think become possible.
In recent years, I have been working with the concepts of loss, memory and inherited trauma, in
reference to the violence and dehumanisation perpetrated against the Palestinian people for
more than a century. The scale of the human tragedy currently unfolding in Gaza further
accentuates the cyclicality of violence and oppression, and I am very grateful to Amos Rex for
giving a platform to Palestinian voices in this dire time”, says Sansour.
Larissa Sansour has lived in London for over a decade, and this is the first time her works are
exhibited on such a scale in Finland. Opening in October, the show consists of seven pieces
created between 2009 and 2022. Sansour’s works have been showcased in numerous art
institutions worldwide, including the Whitworth Art Gallery in Manchester, KINDL in Berlin,
Copenhagen Contemporary, and she represented Denmark at the Venice Biennale in 2019. Most
of the works on display at Amos Rex were created in collaboration with writer and director Søren
Lind.
Amos Rex’s Museum Director Kieran Long says this is a particularly significant moment to host
Sansour’s exhibition when the war in Gaza and the immense human suffering it has caused have
become evident to us all.
“The artist’s video works and installations evoke empathy and understanding, which feels crucial
at this point in time. We hope the exhibition will offer visitors a space for new ideas and
encounters. Above all, of course, we hope for peace in Palestine”, says Long.
The exhibition is curated by Terhi Tuomi. The Larissa Sansour exhibition will be on display at
Amos Rex from 9 October 2024 to 2 March 2025.
