clench my fists

“Clench My Fists” is a found-footage collage video that explores the process of growing up in an Arab family deeply affected by death and grief. Using footage from Lebanese films and audio from archival Lebanese funeral laments, the video looks at how men and women express grief and anger under the patriarchy, and the impacts of childhood trauma. “Clench My Fists” is part of a larger body of work that explores how the death of the artist’s grandfather affected her paternal family. It also addresses decolonizing imperialist western understandings of the Middle East and reveals the beauty of the artist’s heritage.

Artist Bio: Sarah Trad is a video artist who explores the relationship between subjective and objective emotionality—highlighting how mental illness and coming from marginalized backgrounds intersects with internal emotional worlds. She earned a B.F.A. in Art Film from Syracuse University. Trad is a member of the artist-run gallery, Little Berlin and is currently working to create a technology exchange and rental program between the multiple artist collectives in Philadelphia to promote the exhibition of media art. She has received numerous residencies, awards, and exhibitions, both in the U.S. and Canada. She currently lives and works in Philadelphia, PA.

Plays in