Layal Srouji ليال سروجي
artist | researcher | memory worker
Selected Projects:
About
My practice is one that foregrounds relation, iteration, and tactile knowledge. Working with paper, print, book binding, and many land-based media, I am attentive to how heritage accumulates through materials and their social engagement.
Often, my references emerge from socially engaged- collective research, collaboration, workshops.
My body of work addresses the urgent need to nourish Palestine materially.
Often, my references emerge from socially engaged- collective research, collaboration, workshops.
My body of work addresses the urgent need to nourish Palestine materially.
Books + Paper
Book + Printmaking
Kohl Container Sketchbook
Year: 2026
Dimensions: 9x12’
Materials: Mulburry paper, silk ribbon, art paper and waxed thread
Year: 2026
Dimensions: 9x12’
Materials: Mulburry paper, silk ribbon, art paper and waxed thread
Book + Printmaking
Bab el Matba3a [The printing press door]
Year: 2026
Dimensions: 9x12’
Materials: Chipboard, brass studs, prints on art paper and archival paper, wood back cover paper found in printing press
Year: 2026
Dimensions: 9x12’
Materials: Chipboard, brass studs, prints on art paper and archival paper, wood back cover paper found in printing press
Book + Printmaking
Seedo 3abdo
Year: 2026
Dimensions: 9x12’
Materials: Bound in mulberry paper prints, pages printed on various types of paper (27 lb art paper, velum, cardstock) and bound with a visible stitch through the spine.
Year: 2026
Dimensions: 9x12’
Materials: Bound in mulberry paper prints, pages printed on various types of paper (27 lb art paper, velum, cardstock) and bound with a visible stitch through the spine.
Book + Printmaking
Mother of Pearl sketchbook series
Year: 2026Dimensions:5.5x8.5’
Materials: Bound in washi and mulberry paper prints, pages printed on various types of paper (27 lb art paper, velum, cardstock), hard case bound
Misc bookmaking
Book collage
Year: 2026
Dimensions:5.5x8.5’
Materials: Bound in washi and mulberry paper prints, pages printed on various types of paper (27 lb art paper, velum, cardstock)
Year: 2026
Dimensions:5.5x8.5’
Materials: Bound in washi and mulberry paper prints, pages printed on various types of paper (27 lb art paper, velum, cardstock)
Misc bookmaking
Book collage
Year: 2026
Dimensions:5.5x8.5’
Materials: Bound in washi and mulberry paper prints, pages printed on various types of paper (27 lb art paper, velum, cardstock)
Year: 2026
Dimensions:5.5x8.5’
Materials: Bound in washi and mulberry paper prints, pages printed on various types of paper (27 lb art paper, velum, cardstock)
Tarot deck
AI Tarot Deck
year: 2025
Dimensions: 2.6x3.5"
This deck of tarot cards was born of an assignment in an AI photography course taught by Naeem Mohaiemen. Culminated in a performance tarot reading for a two hour exhibition.
year: 2025
Dimensions: 2.6x3.5"
This deck of tarot cards was born of an assignment in an AI photography course taught by Naeem Mohaiemen. Culminated in a performance tarot reading for a two hour exhibition.
Home
About
Artwork
Books+Paper
Drawing
Objects
Workshops+Community
Contact
Drawing + Works on Paper
Studio Drawing from Life
Year:2026
Dimensions:24x36’
Charcoal and graphite drawings from life
Year:2026
Dimensions:24x36’
Charcoal and graphite drawings from life
Trinket Shelf Drawing
Year: 2026
Dimensions:24x36’
White pencil on black paper
Year: 2026
Dimensions:24x36’
White pencil on black paper
Bread Stamps Study: Prints on Mulburry
Folkloric Card Deck
Year: 2025
Dimensions: 2.6x3.5"
This deck of cards was made for a long term project for youth programming in Wadi Hosheh, an ecofarm project in Shfa3aamr.
Year: 2025
Dimensions: 2.6x3.5"
This deck of cards was made for a long term project for youth programming in Wadi Hosheh, an ecofarm project in Shfa3aamr.
Clove Necklace: Print on Mulberry
About
Artwork
Books+Paper
Drawing
Objects
Workshops+Community
Contact
Objects
2oronful Wedding Necklace
Year: 2025
Materials + process:Clove necklace made by soaking cloves in water, stringing them with needle and thread, and arranging with beads.
This is a traditional Palestinian gift for a bride on her wedding day. It is believed that the smell wards off evil eye, and is a good luck charm in marriage. The clove water is also used traditionally to wash the bride before her wedding, and to spray on wedding guests as a protection against 7asad.
Materials + process:Clove necklace made by soaking cloves in water, stringing them with needle and thread, and arranging with beads.
This is a traditional Palestinian gift for a bride on her wedding day. It is believed that the smell wards off evil eye, and is a good luck charm in marriage. The clove water is also used traditionally to wash the bride before her wedding, and to spray on wedding guests as a protection against 7asad.
Practicing Critical Pessoptimism: Interactive word magnets
Year: August - September 2024
Dimensions:5x5’
Materials: Hand made word magnets on a magnetic wall.
SPC exhibit at A83 Gallery
Exhibit and workshop in collaboration with Eunsun
Dimensions:5x5’
Materials: Hand made word magnets on a magnetic wall.
SPC exhibit at A83 Gallery
Exhibit and workshop in collaboration with Eunsun
2023
Jesus Calendar [2023]
2023
11”x17"
This piece was made in reference to the yearly calendars published by Al Hakeem Printing press. These calendars are fixtures of many homes in Nazareth, they live on the walls of every home I’ve ever lived in- often displaying the January page year round. In 2023, the way I felt time shifted dramatically, and the way I perceived the future began to resemble the perpetual January of the calendar. It was as though each day was a year. This work was a way for me to reflect on this time, attempt to etch it into something more permanent than paper. The work was made by etching into tooling foil.
11”x17"
This piece was made in reference to the yearly calendars published by Al Hakeem Printing press. These calendars are fixtures of many homes in Nazareth, they live on the walls of every home I’ve ever lived in- often displaying the January page year round. In 2023, the way I felt time shifted dramatically, and the way I perceived the future began to resemble the perpetual January of the calendar. It was as though each day was a year. This work was a way for me to reflect on this time, attempt to etch it into something more permanent than paper. The work was made by etching into tooling foil.
Workshop + in Community
Bugs of Palestine
2025
2025
Bugs of Palestine
A youth workshop co-led with Zane Elias, teaching about bugs and the bugs of Palestine. The day included a guided nature walk, construction of a bug habitat, bug collage activities and sweet treats. The syllabus included bug etymology, ecology of Palestine, and folkloric histories.
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Series Organized by The Platform, a Columbia University-based initiative dedicated to promoting discussion and reflection on contemporary global issues. Co-sponsored by The Middle East Institute.
This series focuses on Palestine and the arts, aiming to historicize the enduring legacies of poetry, literature, music, art, and theatre, while also showcasing new works that address themes of displacement and settler-colonial violence. Focusing on Columbia’s Morningside campus, Harlem, and the broader New York community, the series invites audiences to engage with artistic representations of Palestine—not as a counter to war imagery but as a lens to understand why art is a threat to empire. Second, the series itself is a way of reclaiming space - to speak about Palestine. Even as we celebrate the ceasefire and scenes of return in Gaza, we are sobered by the prospects of rebuilding and lasting peace. We offer this platform as a way of convening around these ideas, and healing.
"Records of Presence: Palestine in Artistic Practice" is second in this series, focusing on music and the visual arts. The first, "Remembering Refaat: Palestine and the Poetic Imagination" was focused on poetry and storytelling.
Convened by: Mahmood Mamdani and Shayoni Mitra
Student collaborator:Layal Srouji
Photo Credit: Rania Matar
This series focuses on Palestine and the arts, aiming to historicize the enduring legacies of poetry, literature, music, art, and theatre, while also showcasing new works that address themes of displacement and settler-colonial violence. Focusing on Columbia’s Morningside campus, Harlem, and the broader New York community, the series invites audiences to engage with artistic representations of Palestine—not as a counter to war imagery but as a lens to understand why art is a threat to empire. Second, the series itself is a way of reclaiming space - to speak about Palestine. Even as we celebrate the ceasefire and scenes of return in Gaza, we are sobered by the prospects of rebuilding and lasting peace. We offer this platform as a way of convening around these ideas, and healing.
"Records of Presence: Palestine in Artistic Practice" is second in this series, focusing on music and the visual arts. The first, "Remembering Refaat: Palestine and the Poetic Imagination" was focused on poetry and storytelling.
Convened by: Mahmood Mamdani and Shayoni Mitra
Student collaborator:Layal Srouji
Photo Credit: Rania Matar
Remembering Refaat: Palestine and the Poetic Imagination
2024
2024
Organized by The Platform, a Columbia University-based initiative dedicated to promoting discussion and reflection on contemporary global issues. Co-sponsored by The Middle East Institute.
This series focuses on Palestine and the arts, aiming to historicize the enduring legacies of poetry, literature, music, art, and theatre, while also showcasing new works that address themes of displacement and settler-colonial violence. Focusing on Columbia’s Morningside campus, Harlem, and the broader New York community, the series invites audiences to engage with artistic representations of Palestine—not as a counter to war imagery but as a lens to understand why art is a threat to empire. Second, the series itself is a way of reclaiming space - to speak about Palestine. After a year of living under the Palestinian exception, where rules were changed, cops were called, students were suspended and arrested, we offer this platform as a way of healing.
Convened by: Mahmood Mamdani and Shayoni Mitra
Poster Art: Layal Srouji
This series focuses on Palestine and the arts, aiming to historicize the enduring legacies of poetry, literature, music, art, and theatre, while also showcasing new works that address themes of displacement and settler-colonial violence. Focusing on Columbia’s Morningside campus, Harlem, and the broader New York community, the series invites audiences to engage with artistic representations of Palestine—not as a counter to war imagery but as a lens to understand why art is a threat to empire. Second, the series itself is a way of reclaiming space - to speak about Palestine. After a year of living under the Palestinian exception, where rules were changed, cops were called, students were suspended and arrested, we offer this platform as a way of healing.
Convened by: Mahmood Mamdani and Shayoni Mitra
Poster Art: Layal Srouji
Photographic ways of Remembering - Archival Bookmaking Workshop
March 29, 2024
March 29, 2024
Workshop for archiving personal histories, guided by artists Layal Srouji and Jenna Hamed.
Participants will be asked to bring copies of archival family photographs, printed photos from their camera rolls, texts, fabrics, and all other forms of artifact to assemble into an artist book. With a focus on Palestinian and SWANA diaspora, this will be an opportunity to physically engage with the individual histories which are under threat of erasure. Though all are welcome to join us, priority will be granted to Palestinian community members.
This event will be hosted at the archive. Though not required, we encourage participants to donate at the door. We suggest a donation of $5-20 for this event.
Participants will be asked to bring copies of archival family photographs, printed photos from their camera rolls, texts, fabrics, and all other forms of artifact to assemble into an artist book. With a focus on Palestinian and SWANA diaspora, this will be an opportunity to physically engage with the individual histories which are under threat of erasure. Though all are welcome to join us, priority will be granted to Palestinian community members.
This event will be hosted at the archive. Though not required, we encourage participants to donate at the door. We suggest a donation of $5-20 for this event.
What is a School?
Exhibition - Contributor | Collaborator
Aug 2024
Exhibition - Contributor | Collaborator
Aug 2024
Led a workshop and contributed an artwork this exhibition entitled What is a School?
Curated by Secret Poster Club
Hosted by A83 Gallery
Curated by Secret Poster Club
Hosted by A83 Gallery