09/10/2025
The Fish Still Carries the Smell of the Sea
@ NYABF this weekend! We'll be at table A32 in the zine tent!!!
“The fish,/ Even in the fisherman's net,/ still carries,/ The smell of the sea.”
is a space of remembrance and collective reflection, dedicated to the victims of the ongoing genocide in Gaza. This vigil, held at Brooklyn Art Book Fair 2024, invites visitors to engage with the enduring presence of those lost. Visitors are encouraged to contemplate, to bear witness, and if moved, to write a personal message on a locket and join others in adorning the net in a collective expression of remembrance, grief, and resilience.
A fishing net—composed of countless threads woven and knotted together—embodies strength, resilience, and unity. For Gaza’s coastal communities, fishing has historically been a primary source of sustenance and economic survival. However, under Israeli-imposed restrictions, fishermen are severely limited in how far they can venture into
the Mediterranean Sea. These limitations, enforced as part of a broader blockade, often confine Gazan fishermen to shallow, overfished waters, depriving them of vital resources.
This title of the installation draws from the work of Dr. Mourid Barghouti, a Palestinian poet known for his reflections on displacement, memory, and exile. In 1967, after the Six-Day War, Israel occupied the West Bank, including Barghouti’s hometown of Deir Ghassaneh. At the time, Barghouti was studying in Cairo, Egypt, and upon the occupation, he was unable to return to Palestine. This marked the beginning of his exile, which lasted for much of his life.
This book is a collection of those submitted thoughts and reflections.
All proceeds will be donated to Palestinian evacuation and relief funds.
