19/06/2026
Imagine the worst, and then make art. Palestinian artist couple Basel Abbas and Ruanne Abou-Rahme know the worst, they live it. It didn’t rob them of their creativity, it powers it. Their work Prisoners of Love: Until the Sun of Freedom is highly engaged/political and, what’s more, it is unapologetically beautiful. Being in their immersive installation makes you aware of all the contradictions you can imagine within a human life. The soundscape, loud, adds to a feeling of unease vs. enjoyment. It makes you go through all possible emotions. But the thing is: there is beauty in all of it, and that’s where the amazement settles in your mind. That’s where you feel the power of good art: Prisoners of Love speaks about horror while easing our souls with beauty. We leave this amazing space with our hearts full of hope.
>> Prisoners of Love. THE KOKRA FAMILY reviews Prisoners of Love: Until the Sun of Freedom by Basel Abbas and Ruanne Abou-Rahme on view at Kunstinstituut Melly until 27 Sept 2026.
>> THE KOKRA FAMILY is a q***r collective, researching the concept of family in all its manifestations. We believe in the ‚deep family‘, kinship can occur anywhere, there are more ties than just blood ties, there are possibilities beyond what is law.
From guest editor Nienke Terpsma
Photographs of the exhibition by THE KOKRA FAMILY
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