Êvar Hussayni: How authentic archiving can be a radical act of resistance

Êvar Hussayni doesn’t want you to just look at an archive; she wants you to feel it, question it and most importantly, touch it. “Touch everything!” she exclaims to visitors of don’t worry i won’t forget you, her most recent exhibition co-curated with Sarah Hamed. Êvar’s directive, the West Asian and North African Women’s Art Library (WANAWAL), is a counter to the sterile, untouchable nature of institutional archives that have for too long dictated which stories matter and how they should be told. Êvar, whose practice focuses on the way archives present colonial violence as it pertains to Kurdish genealogies, women, and feminism, is dedicated to the democratisation of the way knowledge is framed. 

For Êvar, archiving is not a static, methodological act of preserving the past, but an active, radical practice of reimagining history. Her interrogative hunt into history, reexamining those who wrote and framed it as we know it, is a necessary retracing of steps to inform patterns for our future. “I am dedicated to understanding how archives have shaped us – how we conform to it, how it modifies us, how it hurts us or saves us,” Êvar explains to Dazed MENA. “A grounding question at the forefront of my work is that of access; how is knowledge transmitted, information circulated and who is able to experience archives?” Her personal art practice, along with WANAWAL – which serves as an extension of her research – is navigating these questions and ensuring full accessibility for the physical exploration of archives. 

Launched in 2019, WANAWAL is the first West Asian and North African women’s library in the region, a space where collective memory and creative resistance greet one another. Here, Êvar is working to subvert traditional colonial methods of archiving, bringing in feminist and anti-colonial methodologies to ensure that marginalised voices, those of especially Kurdish women, are empowered to define how their stories are remembered. Her line of thought spawns question after comprehensive question: “How can the history of Kurds be archived in a way that is anti-colonial, authentic and includes the community?” the archivist wonders aloud to Dazed.

Though Êvar recognises the journey ahead as a long one, she has committed herself to this vital practice. Her willingness to be among the first to tackle such a large-scale project, examining and reconceptualising chronicles that carry centuries, speaks to her conviction in the necessity of the work. “It is a constant process of questioning, researching and I am not sure if I will ever find the answers I am looking for, or be able to achieve a fully authentic space of an archive, because the world is so imbalanced – but it will be a lifelong attempt for sure.”

For Êvar, transforming the way Kurdish resistance is perceived – not as a violent operation but a necessary effort for the freedom of a people – has always felt like a duty more than an interest. The archivist is hoping to use her practice to allow the tenderness of the people to teem forth, unobscured by the violence of their circumstances. “I use the archives as a methodology to figure out alternative ways of reaching a place of authentic memory-making of Kurdish existence – one that isn’t solely based on the occupation of our land, but also equality in our identity, culture, language, music… joy,” Êvar says. “Our existence is so much more than being continuously and forcibly resilient. We deserve gentleness and softness, the space to imagine the joy when there is freedom, but also remember the joys we experience now, within the resistance.”

Êvar believes that the heart of any meaningful archive lies in the active participation of the communities it represents. In doing so, they are emboldened to reclaim their histories and assert their identities. “It fosters agency by shifting the role of archivists to facilitators of community-led practices,” the archivist expounds. “WANAWAL encourages people from these communities to document their own experiences in their own voices, creating archives that reflect a fuller and more accurate representation of history and multi-faceted identity.”

The power of collective memory is an essential element of Êvar’s philosophy. More than just preserving knowledge, archives keep stories and lessons alive, ensuring that they are passed down through generations. “This is important for fostering continuity in resistance and existence,” Êvar notes. “It creates a living archive that evolves with each generation, rather than being a static repository.”

Her most recent exhibition, don’t worry i won’t forget you, marked the first time WANAWAL’s collection was made public; Êvar looks back on it lovingly. “It was a soft and cute process of discovery and learning and embracing our curiosity and allowing ourselves to always imagine alternatives to what is now,” Êvar reflects. “I wanted to create a space for people to feel comfortable enough to engage with the archive outside of rigid systems or institutional, colonially influenced methods.”

Like every other undertaking, Êvar approached the curation process for her exhibition with a barrage of questions. Alongside her co-curator, Sarah Hamed, the two meticulously assessed the intention behind each choice they made, including the location, the space, the collection, how the artwork speaks to the archive, how the archive and the artworks speak to the audience… “It was very in-depth and maybe quite philosophical?” Êvar remarks. “It was just important for us to understand how WANAWAL is situated within the larger conversation around archives, with the attempt to strive for more caring, transparent, and laboratory practices.”
Êvar is now working on an upcoming book on the politics of food through Kurdish cuisine and oral histories. The book will look into how food acts as a political, cultural and historical symbol with Kurdish communities. Meanwhile, WANAWAL is preparing to launch a residency programme that will provide two researchers with the resources to explore their chosen topics. The archivist also has another solo exhibition in the works, slated for 2025. In her cautious hands, and with the spaces she is continuously creating, Êvar is transforming archives from chronicles of memories to tools for liberation.