London’s Mosaic Rooms has reopened its doors following a year of refurbishment and a significant shift in its organizational structure. The cultural institution, dedicated to contemporary art and culture from the Arab world and beyond, now operates as an independent charity, building on a foundation established by the A.M. Qattan Foundation. This transition marks a new chapter for the Mosaic Rooms, one focused on strengthening solidarity and fostering dialogue in a period of global uncertainty, particularly concerning Palestine.
The reopening is anchored by two key artistic presentations: a permanent site-specific commission by Palestinian architect, artist, and academic Dima Srouji, titled Four Moons from Home, and the first UK solo exhibition by French-Moroccan artist Bouchra Khalili, Circles and Storytellers. These works, alongside a redesigned public space, signal a renewed commitment to providing a platform for critical discourse and cultural resistance. The Mosaic Rooms’ director, Pip Day, emphasized the importance of spaces like theirs, stating, “In a moment of profound uncertainty and unfathomable violence, spaces like Mosaic Rooms, which holds Palestine as its compass, are vital—not only as sites of refuge in these inadmissible times, but as platforms for critical discourse, collective learning and cultural resistance.”
A Window into History: Dima Srouji’s Four Moons from Home
Visitors to the Mosaic Rooms are immediately greeted by Four Moons from Home, a striking installation of stained-glass windows carved into Jerusalem stone. Created by Dima Srouji, the work is a testament to both artistic skill and cultural memory. The stone, meticulously carved by artisans in Bethlehem, traveled from Palestine to London, embedding a physical history within the building’s architecture. Srouji draws inspiration from the centuries-old tradition of Qamariya (half-moon) windows prevalent across Yemen, Egypt, Syria, and Palestine, honoring the craftspeople who have illuminated homes and sacred spaces for generations.
The windows themselves celebrate the four seasons through intricate carvings and colored glass, reflecting the seasonal flora of Palestine. However, the work also carries a poignant weight, serving as a tribute to the more than thirty Qamariya windows destroyed by Israeli occupation forces in the Haram al-Sharif compound in Jerusalem in recent years. Srouji describes her work as creating space for “potential collective repair,” a philosophy that resonates with the Mosaic Rooms’ renewed focus on resilience and solidarity.
Recovering Lost Voices: Bouchra Khalili’s Circles and Storytellers
Opening February 18, 2026, and running through June 14, 2026, Bouchra Khalili’s Circles and Storytellers marks the artist’s first solo exhibition in the UK. The exhibition brings together two works, The Circle Project (2023) and The Public Storyteller (2024), culminating from Khalili’s decade-long research into the Mouvement des Travailleurs Arabes (MTA) and its associated theatre groups, Al Assifa and Al Halaka.
The MTA, active between 1973 and 1977, was comprised of Maghrebi undocumented workers and French students who advocated for social justice and artistic freedom in France. Khalili’s work particularly highlights the overlooked presidential candidacy of Djelalli Kamal in 1974, who ran on a platform representing “the candidate of those who cannot vote.” The exhibition utilizes the circle and the assembly as both artistic form and method, emphasizing the power of storytelling and performance in building communities and envisioning alternative futures.
Expanded Spaces for Community and Dialogue
The refurbishment of the Mosaic Rooms extends beyond the exhibition spaces, introducing expanded public areas designed to foster creative learning, exchange, and sustained cultural work. These include a redesigned bookshop specializing in independent and self-published works, a “Sound Capsule” for live radio and collaborative broadcasts, a “Play Room” for children and families, a “Salon” for public programming, and a newly designed garden created in collaboration with Dima Srouji.
The upcoming public program is robust, featuring “Footnote to the Present,” a series of events engaging artists and performers in explorations of performance and collective rehearsal; “In Response: Four Moons from Home,” a year-long program responding to Srouji’s installation; live broadcasts in collaboration with Radio Alhara; and “A Place without a Door,” inspired by prison literature and developed with long-term community partners. These initiatives underscore the Mosaic Rooms’ commitment to providing a space for critical engagement and collective action.
As the Mosaic Rooms embarks on this new chapter, it acknowledges the challenges of the current global landscape. The organization’s renewed commitment to holding histories, nurturing solidarities, and creating space for collective futures reflects a dedication to both artistic expression and social responsibility. The Mosaic Rooms will continue to offer a vital platform for voices from the Arab world and beyond, fostering dialogue and resilience in a time of profound change.
The Mosaic Rooms’ upcoming program will continue to evolve, with details on future events and initiatives available through their newsletter. Sign up to the newsletter for updates.
What do you think about the Mosaic Rooms’ new direction and its commitment to supporting artists from the Arab world? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
