Perfume in Exile is a meditation on what we carry with us. The title is inspired by the French term, sillage, which describes how a scent lingers in the air. The exhibition considers the residues of place—both real and imagined—that persist through objects.

Friends Artspace is honored to present the work of nine artists and design studios from Southwest Asia and North Africa and their diasporas: Afraa Ahmed (Yemen/Egypt), Anahita (Ani) Bradberry (Iran/USA), Maïa Beyrouti (Palestine/France), Maryam Al-Homaid (Qatar), Maryam Turkey (Iraq/USA), Nour Hage (Lebanon/UAE), REJO Design Studio (Palestine/Saudi Arabia), Tamara Barrage (Lebanon/UAE), and Tamara Kalo (Lebanon/Saudi Arabia).

Drawing from their manifold cultural ties and contemporary design practices, these artists craft memory-laden, futurist works in ceramic, glass, textile, plaster and light—souvenirs of home that resound with intimacy and innovation.

The exhibition is co-curated by Laila Abdul-Hadi Jadallah.

Photography by Ethan Hickerson.