Jabbara 2 continues Mohamed Amine Hamouda’s long-term exploration of the materials, vocabulary, and living and forgotten memory of the oasis of Gabès in southern Tunisia, the sole maritime oasis in the Mediterranean. The title itself refers to a local term used by farmers to describe a specific stage in the life cycle of the palm tree, a phase associated with strength and robustness, symbolising resistance and perseverance. This terminology reflects both botanical knowledge and a deeply rooted relationship to the land. Within his practice, ecology and artistic experimentation intersect.

Working exclusively with discarded elements of the palm tree, the artist transforms what is typically considered waste into sculptural matter. Palm fibres, remnants of saaf (palm fronds), and other discarded materials collected from local artisans and farmers undergo processes of cutting, washing, and traditional dyeing before being assembled into layered compositions. Through these gestures and textile movements, the work reveals the latent and overlooked expressive and aesthetic potential buried embedded within the heart of the palm tree and the oasis itself.

The “totem” emerges both as a material experiment and a symbolic form, evoking imagined palm trees. Its verticality recalls both the trunk of the palm tree and the looming presence of the chemical industries that have compromised the oasis ecosystem since the 1970s. Through superimposed textures, tonal gradations, and spiralling structures, the artist seeks to translate the internal rhythms and surfaces of oasis flora into sculptural language, while drawing attention to materials whose aesthetic potential has long been neglected.

Rooted in processes of research, discovery, and experimentation, Jabbara 2 reflects an ongoing commitment to the oasis, its environment, and the fragility of its smallest details. The work becomes a concrete act of resistance against environmental degradation and the ongoing destruction affecting the region, while reaffirming the richness of local materials, artisanal practices, and inherited knowledge systems.