nisreen tahhan

Nisreen Tahhan is a multidisciplinary artist, architect, and cultural practitioner whose work bridges the personal and collective through photography, socially engaged art, and architecture. Her practice incorporates analogue photography, darkroom techniques, alternative printing methods, sculpture, and installation art. Studying architecture has shaped her ability to read environments and communities, guiding her toward social architecture and influencing her artistic approach to working with marginalized groups.

Her work shifted significantly when she co-founded Sada Movement, an art initiative focused on reimagining the socio-political approach to art in Palestine. Through Sada, they explored new ways of archiving history through art, making it accessible to marginalized communities and engaging them through workshops. They exhibited in unconventional spaces and on the streets, emphasizing community-scale engagement.

Collaborations have been central to her practice. These included using dried cactus fibers with Roba Alfraouna to reflect on the transformation of the Palestinian village of Lifta and nature's reclamation of abandoned spaces. With Hanin Ismail, she mapped Ma’amila Cemetery before its demolition. During the Sounds of Places Artist Residency, she developed Cremisan Herbarium with Sofia Lambro, documenting the valley’s plants.

Workshops remain a cornerstone of her practice. Cyanotype printing with plants, archiving surroundings, and a lino-print workshop using natural clay-based ink in collaboration with different local artists are just a few examples. Within Al Ma’mal Foundation, as programs manager, she created educational programs that explored new ways of teaching and interdisciplinary approaches to the arts, collaborating with local artists and adjusting curricula to specific places.

Currently, her work is tied to her family’s land in Jericho, where she’s creating an art residency. Using banana leaves, palm fibers, and fallen fruits, she transforms natural materials into sustainable resources for papermaking and printmaking, reflecting environmental sustainability and preserving the land through art.

+info: https://nisreentahhan.myportfolio.com/