Can you tell us how this exhibition came together?

We started brainstorming the project in October last year and began putting the team together shortly after. Volcano Theatre is producing the exhibition, while I’ve been focused on connecting with the artists and shaping the artistic direction. We’ve been fortunate to collaborate with them. They also provided space for the opening discussion happening alongside the exhibition.

Are you working on this alone, or do you have a team behind you?

It’s a collaborative effort. While I’m leading the artistic side and working closely with the artists, Volcano Centre has been instrumental in bringing the exhibition to life from a production standpoint.

What can attendees expect from the exhibition?

We were quite ambitious at the beginning; we initially hoped to commission ten artists, but due to budget constraints, we worked with four. Even so, it’s a strong and meaningful start. The exhibition features a mix of media.

There’s video work capturing the daily lives of people in Gaza, photography documenting everyday moments, and a digital installation mapping the West Bank through embroidery, allowing visitors to interact with the piece.

What’s important for me is showing the diversity of Palestinian artistic expression, not just one narrative, but many lived experiences.

What inspired the exhibition?

Last August, I was invited to attend a lecture where I met Ross Manson. The idea for the exhibition actually came from those conversations.

We felt there was a lack of meaningful representation of Palestinian work, especially given everything happening globally with the war. From there, it grew through ongoing discussions and brainstorming into what is now Preservation.

What are you hoping audiences take away from this experience?

At its core, the exhibition is about raising awareness of what’s happening in Gaza and beyond. What we often see on social media contributes to the dehumanization of Palestinians. Through this exhibition, I want to challenge that narrative. I want people to see everyday life, people cleaning, doing their hair, living their lives. These human moments matter. The goal is to reconnect audiences with the humanity behind the headlines through art.

How did you approach selecting the artists?

I was fortunate to discover and connect with many of the artists online. One of the installation artists is someone I’ve worked with before; I’ve always admired how her work captures human experiences while still carrying a strong message. For me, it was important to work with artists who could authentically convey lived experiences while advancing the conversation.

What are your expectations for the exhibition?

This is my first time curating an exhibition, so it’s hard to predict exactly how it will be received. However, I’ll be honest, there’s a certain level of hesitation within the theatre and arts space in Toronto when it comes to presenting Palestinian work, as most avoid it at the moment.

There’s a sense of carefulness, perhaps due to concerns about losing funding or reaction. I would not say they want to erase Palestinian voices, but there is definitely caution.

That said, given everything happening right now, I believe it’s more important than ever to create space and share these stories. To show the humanity of Palestine and allow people to participate and see their world through art.

Do you think this hesitation is new, or has it always been there?

I don’t think it has always been this way, but there aren’t many Palestinian theatre-makers in Toronto either. Even if that absence existed before, now is the time to change it. I encourage people to engage, attend, learn, and experience the work. Art has the power to reach people in ways that other media can’t. It connects to the mind and the soul.

Conclusion

Through Preservation, art becomes more than expression. It becomes a bridge to understanding, inviting audiences to see beyond headlines and into the everyday humanity of Palestinian life.

The exhibition will be on view at The Theatre Centre (1115 Queen St. West) from March 19th to May 17th, 2026, with free admission.

The exhibition will also be available to view online beginning April 10th on Volcano’s website.

As always, you can discover more Things to do in Toronto on efosa.