Fana’ Collective: The art of unmaking and a radical vision

Based out of Ramallah, Palestine, Fana’ is an art collective working to deconstruct the very foundations of how we perceive truth, knowledge and existence. ‘Fana’, referring to the ‘annihilation of the self’ in Sufism, conveys the paradoxical idea of destruction as rebirth. This foundational philosophy is also why it is difficult to delineate what Fana’ does despite the clarity of their values; they refuse to be confined to any set of rules that determines the limits within which they work. Founded by Palestinian curators, artists, thinkers and writers Yasmin Huleileh and Ahmad Al-Aqra, the duo contends with the suffocation imposed by systems through thought-provoking exhibitions and experimental platforms like The Black Journal.

Their work rests on embracing nihilism, dismantling the epistemological authority of truth and exploring the processes by which knowledge and meaning are constructed. The group prioritises the act of what they call ‘unmaking’ over a finished project, which opens up an ever-evolving approach to creativity that inherently evades categorisation. “We aim to uncover the contradictions inherent in our practice, shaped by our specific contexts,” Fana’ explains to Dazed MENA. In doing so, they create a space for collaboration and experimentation that thrives outside of institutional constraints. 

The Black Journal is the collective’s inaugural project. A multi-discursive platform, the journal offers room for visual and written explorations of knowledge in context, inviting artists and thinkers from across the Arab world to rethink familiar narratives. Unlike traditional publishing The Black Journal eschews linear storytelling in favour of fluid, intersectional representations that acknowledge the manifold layers of cultural and social realities. As a host for contributions that span mediums and perspectives, the journal is an archive of resistance and reimagination. 

No stranger to rightful resistance, Fana’ is rooted in the Palestinian experience, both geographically and ideologically. Yasmin, a Ramallah-based curator with a degree in law, uses her interdisciplinary background to interrogate cultural traditions and unlearn colonial frameworks. Also a writer, Yasmin unravels themes of unlearning, decolonisation and politics in essays published in outlets like Journal Safar, Stuart Magazine, Collective for Architecture Lebanon, and Discontent magazine. 

Her co-founder, Ahmad, brings his expertise as a researcher and curator with a focus on the aesthetic of power and the historical forces that shape social constructs. Ahmad has curated and participated in exhibitions across Ramallah, Amman, Helsinki, London and Paris; most recently, he co-curated Salt-Kissed at Hayy Jameel in Jeddah and is now working with the Palestinian Museum on their upcoming exhibition unpacking the history of music in Palestine. Together, they ground Fana’s work in the reality of Southwest Asia and North Africa while fostering a global dialogue. “We hope to reconnect with the cultural heritage of the SWANA region, despite political unrest,” the team expresses. 

Their exhibitions reflect this commitment to the local and the universal. Their curatorial work on I Will Write Our Will Above the Clouds embodies Fana’s mission to create a space for the colonised and oppressed. This travelling exhibition, launched in 2023 in response to the genocidal war on Gaza, features digital archives of works by 28 Gazan artists. Many of the physical artworks have been destroyed or displaced by the war, and this exhibition relies on digital imprints—often compressed, grainy images sent via WhatsApp—to preserve and share these creations. “We hope to highlight the importance of collaboration, especially within the art and creative sectors and, more crucially, in the MENA region,” they articulate. 

For Ahmad, the collective’s work also involves cultivating sustainable creative spaces. In 2020, he co-founded El Gorfeh, Palestine’s first community darkroom, providing artists and photographers with tools to experiment and grow free from external influences. “We aim to create sustainable spaces independent from institutional constraints, external influences and standardisation in the creative industry,” the duo affirms to Dazed. “We also aim to promote a process of de-learning and rethinking familiar methods.” 

As with all Palestinian artistic output, Fana’ is inherently tied to the act of resistance through its anarchism. “Our creative process always begins from within our contexts,” the creators observe. “In that sense, every project is an ongoing contribution, extending the conversation rather than marking a start or finish.” Be it in addressing the erasure of cultural heritage or confronting the global creative industry’s institutional limitations, Fana’ is entrenched in the lived realities and pressing issues of its creators. Their approach is driven by the contradictions that fuel them (“the contradictions make us mad”), allowing for a more nuanced exploration of identity and knowledge.