Out of Frame: Manilla St.
خارج الإطار: شارع مانيلا
2021
Out of Frame is a multi-layered intervention aiming to hear the stories of marginalised communities and voice their narratives by reclaiming space. The iteration focuses on migrant inhabitants in Jabal Amman neighborhoods, and the walls of the houses they call home. Since long before the pandemic, this population experiences the notions of remoteness and isolation, and the challenges brought forth by distance and being away from their loved ones. By listening to their stories and exploring the means of this distant communication, texts and messages will be materialised as murals in their space. Murals that are, by definition, as impermanent as the inhabitants of these walls.
The choice of intervention in the public space draws the audience to participate. A digital platform is open to audiences to interact with a new digital cartography of the neighbourhood based on the inhabitants' stories. Or by physically interacting with the works and the stories of the neighbourhood behind them.
Med’s Story
Med finds escape in her art from her busy life working as a freelance housekeeper jumping from two to three houses per day. If not painting then she’s tending to her garden that’s reminiscent of the province that she left in the Philippine’s province of Mexico 18 years ago. Supporting a big family back home, Med was able to create a family and a place of sanctuary for many Phillippinas in Amman. Last month, Med found herself surrounded by this support as she said comforting words to her father while on his last breaths. Now, Med is aiming to channel this pain with new and larger mediums. She’s emerging into the first Phillippina street artist in Amman, making her mark in the city and celebrating its beauty with the neighbourhood’s community.
Rena Lou’s Story
17 years ago, single mother Renalou had to leave her 5 month old and 1.5 year old daughters in the Philippines to work in Amman. Renalou has resiliently faced all challenges of raising her daughters purely through text messages, video calls and Facebook connections. The text intervention found in Manilla St. depicts one of her biggest challenges yet, taking care of her youngest daughter now 16 year old Janen in her first chemotherapy session after being diagnosed last year. Now, Janen is in remission as Renalou remains to be an active member in her community creating cultural events for all ages. Half of the conversation is in Arabic while the other is in Tagalog to showcase a heavy language and cultural barrier in our society where we only see half of the story.
Zha Zha’s Story
Zha Zha has a long and complex relationship with Amman, she was the daughter of the Philippines Ambassador back in the 90s and had to leave Amman to the states with her family during the gulf war. The main source of her confidence comes from her family’s support; as long as they got her back. This support didn’t come easily, Zha Zha went back and forth with her mother and father till they’ve accepted her true self during her transition. Years after building this family support, her mother was diagnosed with cancer, she only requested one thing from Amman; some Arabic (Pita) bread. She recalls that the moment she saw her mother back home the first thing she asked for was the bread. Now, She continues to live in Amman working as a chef for many ambassador’s over the years while being a highly talented artist. Her smile and confidence exhumed warmth to anyone who has the pleasure of talking to her.
