Inspired by the we refuse_d exhibition at Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, Palestinian architect and writer, Sandi Hilal addresses the Decolonizing Architecture Art Research’s (DAAR) ongoing Refugee Heritage initiative, which proposes alternative approaches to heritage and seeks to reframe the prevalent discourse on refugees and displacement, moving beyond humanitarianism towards a more equitable future.
Respondent: Bahaa Aboudaya
DAAR, founded by Sandi Hilal and Alessandro Petti, operates at the intersection of architecture, art, pedagogy, and politics. For over two decades, their work has reimagined spaces of displacement and resistance, transforming art exhibitions into active platforms for civic engagement and political imagination.
Bahaa Abudaya is senior curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at Qatar Museums (QM) and a lecturer at Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar (VCUarts Qatar). His main research areas include Palestinian art and politics, as well as the history of the Arab art movement.
