In this exhibition, the land continues to be a source of inspiration for artist Nabil Anani, who has been focusing on painting landscapes for over two decades. In The Land and I, Anani sees himself as inseparable from the earth he paints. His work demonstrates how the land is central to his identity and existence, and is also integral to its people. 

The exhibition features Anani’s colorful and textured paintings of the Palestinian landscape, which serve as a celebration of Palestine that he dreams of; free, manicured nature, without checkpoints, cement barriers, or settlements. Through the use of organic materials, Anani portrays the Palestinian landscape by using it as physical material on his canvas. His works often consist of using natural materials, like wood, straw, dried herbs, seeds, quinoa, and spices,  infusing his paintings with the very elements of the earth that he intimately portrays. By grounding his art in the materiality of the land itself, Anani reclaims the Palestinian landscape from the continuous attempts of colonial erasure, emphasizing the sense of attachment, belonging, and continuity.

Anani’s work serves as a meditation and reimagination of Palestine as a living being, something that breathes and moves reflecting a strong bond between the geography, and the people. He erases the borders between the people and the landscape they live in making them one unit with shared history, present, and future. For him, the land is a witness to the struggle of Palestinians for freedom therefore he weaves Palestinians into the landscape.

His paintings of olive groves, trees, and rural landscapes show an organic relationship between Palestinians and nature, one that has been disrupted by occupation. This spiritual connection can be considered a form of resistance and resilience given the ongoing destruction of Palestinian homes, villages, and natural terrain. For Anani, the Palestinian land is not just a background but is an active participant in the narration of the story of Palestine that concludes emancipation. 

The Land and I stands as a powerful statement on the relationship between Anani, his identity as a Palestinian, and his aspiration for freedom. Through his beautifully painted landscape works, Anani ties himself and the Palestinian people to their homeland, not only as a way to assert presence but also to reimagine the future.