Mounira Al Solh: Oh Pigeon, Don’t Sleep, Don’t Sleep

“Y’a Hamam Yalla Ma Tnam, Ma Tnam”(“Oh Pigeon, Don’t Sleep, Don’t Sleep”), named after a well-known Lebanese and Syrian lullaby, brings together works by Mounira Al Solh that have never been shown together before. The exhibition explores micro-histories, political agency, and personal narratives shaped by conflict and migration. At its centre is “Nami Nami Noooom, Yalla Tnaaam” (“Sleep, Sleep, Sleep, Let’s Sleep”), a large-scale installation drawing from Al Solh’s childhood during the Lebanese Civil War. To cope with the relentless sound of bombs, she would make holes in her pyjamas—later stitching around them at her mother’s suggestion—transforming fear into a meditative ritual.

Born in Beirut in 1978 and based between Beirut and Amsterdam, Al Solh works across video, installation, painting, drawing, textiles, text, and performance. Her practice blends political critique with poetic escapism, using fiction, oral histories, and collaboration to explore feminist themes, displacement, and resistance.

As violence continues to devastate the Middle East, Al Solh’s work reflects on trauma, resilience, and the urgent need for peace, empathy, and justice.

Produced by the Serralves Museum and supported by the Mondriaan Fund, the exhibition is curated by João Mourão and Luís Silva, with coordination by Giovana Gabriel.