THE RETURN OF OSIRIS
ESSA GRAYEB
2020
On June 9, 1967, Egyptian President at the time, Gamal Abdel Nasser appeared on television and radio to inform the Egyptian citizens of their country’s defeat. During the speech, he also announced his resignation. For many, Nasser’s speech was the first hint at the full scope of loss and disillusionment with the pan-Arab vision he led.
The video weaves together dozens of scenes that feature the speech from Egyptian films and television series produced between 1972-2016. The found footage excerpts were edited to reconstruct Nasser’s speech of resignation according to the original text.
By collecting, cataloging, and rearranging visual materials associated with the speech, the project turns the spotlight on the challenges of addressing a historical-political event through artistic action. Usually associated with the work of the historian who sets out to produce knowledge and interpretation, these practices examine the complex process of creating and emptying meanings in visual systems of representation.
SYNOPSIS :
Born in Nazareth in 1984.
A Palestinian visual artist, working across different media such as photography, video, installation and text.
He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in photography (BFA) in 2019, from Bezalel Academy of Art and Design in Jerusalem.
In his works, he touches upon notions of representation, absence and loss. His work often originates from an examination of his personal narratives within the collective history and memory.
He uses art to challenge perceptions and explore the medium itself while often weaving in and out of reality and fiction.
His current ongoing project is a commentary on the perception of historical events in the popular film industry. Moreover, the impact popular cinema has on building a collective memory in the Arab world.
Essa Lives and works in Jerusalem.