Borders and Boundaries

Borders and Boundaries is a series of works in which artist Michelle Samour appeals to her ancestral past as a means of further engaging in the politico-geographic concepts of homeland, exile, and diaspora. Through cartographical repetition and reflections, Samour maps the historical (dis)possession of Palestine, ultimately decimating borders, boundaries and territorial constructs into geometric abstraction.

Ostensibly decorative, the work critically investigates the meaning of shape/land/form within the guise of traditional Palestinian craft. Samour’s pallet references the vibrant colors from Palestinian embroidery and weaving, while the materials emulate the depth and luster of Mother-of-Pearl carving prevalent in Bethlehem. Samour employs the tropes of optical illusion and opacity to present the viewer with a dizzying cartographic narrative of political geography.