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Submission Number: 255
Submission ID: 316
Submission UUID: a063c97c-182f-4711-b3ee-609ff9c1ff8a
Submission URI: /form/submit-contribution
Created: Sat, 28 Feb 2026 - 19:03
Completed: Sat, 28 Feb 2026 - 21:34
Changed: Wed, 13 May 2026 - 08:12
Remote IP address: 176.204.48.253
Submitted by: Anonymous
Language: English
Is draft: No
Current page: webform_confirmation
| Given name | Ameena |
|---|---|
| Surname | Aljerman Alali |
| ameena.aljarman@gmail.com | |
| I understand that by submitting this form, I consent to the use of my data for the purposes of the 2026 Forum on Artistic Research'. | Yes |
| I agree to the terms of service. | Yes |
| Title | The Body as Parallel Archive: Afro-Emirati Memory in the Arabian Peninsula |
| Format | Project presentation |
| Main language | English |
| Abstract | This artistic research project explores how Afro-Emirati slavery memory can be engaged through the body as a parallel archive in the Arabian Peninsula. In the region, history has largely been shaped through written narratives connected to institutional authority and nation-building. Within this framework, histories related to Indian Ocean slavery, are not fully articulated in public discourse. The project examines how embodied practices have carried memory across generations, instead of attempting to correct the known written history. It asks: What happens when ritual, movement, and inter-generational gestures are recognized as parallel forms of historical process ? Through video installation, recorded performances, and oral documentation, I examine Afro-Emirati practices such as Liwa dance and domestic ceremonial rituals as embodied archives. These forms transmit history through rhythm, repetition, and gesture, operating alongside textual historiography rather than in opposition to it. While grounded in Afro-Emirati experience, the project reflects more broadly on how history might be approached beyond event-based narration. It proposes a shift from understanding history solely as recorded information toward recognizing it as lived and transmitted knowledge. Artistic research becomes a space for acknowledging the endurance of embodied memory within complex social and political contexts. |
| Link to the Exposition | https://www.researchcatalogue.net/shared/30a8ffc80150dd40c6ef10b53962041f |
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| Short biographies of the presenter(s) |
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| Previous presentations or iterations of the research | Related aspects of this research were presented in 2024–2025 at Umeå University (Hurricanes and Scaffolding Symposium on Artistic Research) and at APARN (Artistic Research for Creative Communities Conference). These earlier presentations explored embodied memory and Afro-Emirati ritual practices. The current proposal develops the work further by framing the body as a parallel archival system within the historiographic context of the Arabian Peninsula. |
| Additional information | Brief history of Afro-Emirati slavery memory within the Arabian Peninsula and Indian Ocean slavery. Introduction to the methodological framework (embodied archive, parallel historiography) Visual presentation of selected works ( still images and short excerpts) Reflection on how embodied practice operates as a parallel mode. |
| Spatial and technical requirements | Standard conference presentation setup (projector and screen) Laptop connection (HDMI or USB-C adaptor compatibility) Audio playback capability (speakers) for short video excerpts |
| Potential risks or ethical concerns | • The research showcase historically sensitive material related to Afro-Emirati slavery memory. • The project does not aim at direct political confrontation, but explores embodied practice as a parallel form of historical transmission. |
| Create a user account for SAR 2026 | Yes |
| Create new user | Ameena Aljerman Alali |