Taysir Batniji Disruptions

Taysir Batniji's disrupted images provide a visual representation of both the ongoing violence and historical repression experienced by Palestine. These images are digitally degraded screenshots taken from video calls with his family in Gaza, highlighting the impact of conflict and surveillance on daily life.

Batniji, a Palestinian artist, draws from his subjective experiences and the context of current events and history, infusing his diverse practice with themes of impermanence and fragility. In his project "Disruptions," he gathers fragmented screenshots from WhatsApp video conversations with his family in Gaza spanning from April 24, 2015, to June 23, 2017. Unable to return to his homeland and settled in Europe, these digital interactions serve as a crucial connection point for Batniji and his family, albeit in a digital space influenced and destabilized by the same forces that affect his relatives' everyday lives.

"Disruptions" juxtaposes the familiarity of family phone calls with distorted, degraded compositions characterized by vibrant colors and pixelation, reflecting the compromised nature of communication and daily life in Gaza due to conflict, control, and surveillance. Through intentional manipulation of resolution and compression, Batniji's images politically visualize the challenges faced by Gazans, bridging the gap between intimate moments and the larger geopolitical context of colonial violence and oppression.

Released on the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, "Disruptions" advocates for peace and expresses solidarity with the Palestinian struggle for freedom. All proceeds from the publication will be donated to Medical Aid for Palestinians, an NGO providing essential medical care and support on the ground.