Fugitive Archives: A spoken future (MADA)

  • A living and growing archive of Palestinian and First Nations, Lebanese and Syrian books, artworks and artefacts curated by Anna Emina and Celine Saoud.

Co-curated by The Great Book Return and Saluhan Collective, A spoken future asks: can archives tell us about our futures? The exhibition showcases materials on Palestine, Lebanon, and Syria, borrowed exclusively from the Monash University Library and Special Collections archive.

It centres the future possibilities of peoples and cultures who are acknowledged by their proximity to war, displacement and genocide, rather than their lives. The gallery was transformed into a reading room featuring books, maps, articles, and travel guides, which dociment the resistance, achievements, culture and daily life of Arab people.

Exhibited at MADA Gallery (10 October - 25 October 2025) as part of the Curator-in-Residence program.

Supported by: Monash University Art, Design and Architecture School.
This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory body.

Photography: Christian Capurro (exhibition documentation) and Gianna Rizzo (opening event).

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