The Dream and the Calling of the Tree

The Oud Abaya installation draws its origins from a vivid dream, where raw oud wood appeared ablaze, its flames embodying both pain and transformation. This dream unlocked a long-buried memory of a woman whose life ended in fire, her untold story shaped by silence and societal pressures. The imagery of the burning oud connected the woman’s struggles to the spiritual essence of the tree, creating a profound link between human grief and nature’s sacrifice.

The oud tree, deeply rooted in indigenous traditions, naturally produces its resin as a defense mechanism. However, to meet growing demand, these trees are deliberately wounded to force the resin’s production. This act of scarring mirrors the hidden wounds of the woman’s life, emphasizing the shared pain between humanity and nature. The dream became a bridge between the spiritual calling of the tree, the weight of her story, and the exploration of loss, resilience, and memory that the installation represents.

The Process of Desensitisation

The installation begins with the burning of a plain black abaya, a garment deeply tied to cultural identity and social tradition. Burning this garment is an act of desensitization, intentionally unsettling yet necessary to confront the emotional weight of destruction. It prepares viewers for the layered and symbolic act of burning the Oud Abaya, where grief and memory are transformed into reflection.

The Oud Abaya, a three-meter-tall garment adorned with raw oud wood, takes this process further. Its burning represents a sensory and visual transformation, releasing fragrant smoke as grief, memory, and cultural symbolism converge. The burning of the plain abaya absorbs the initial discomfort, creating space for viewers to process the profound questions raised by the Oud Abaya.

The Role and Value of Oud

The Oud Abaya is a three-meter-tall garment meticulously layered with raw oud wood, drilled and hand-stitched with gold wire into geometric patterns. Oud, is one of the most expensive natural materials in the world, holds both spiritual and cultural significance in Gulf traditions. Its resin is only produced through deliberate wounding of the tree, a process that mirrors the pain and sacrifice behind the woman’s untold story.

Burning the Oud Abaya releases the oud’s rich and potent fragrance, creating a sensory experience that commands attention. The fragrant smoke, traditionally associated with reverence and celebration, takes on new meaning in this context. It becomes a vessel for mourning and reflection, carrying her story into the air and transforming pain into acknowledgment.

The deliberate use of a significant amount of raw oud raises questions about value. The oud’s material worth contrasts sharply with the immeasurable value of the life it honors. The burning forces viewers to confront the tension between what is seen and what is felt, between the tangible allure of the fragrance and the intangible weight of grief.