Repentance (n.): the action of repenting; sincere regret or remorse.

Repentance is a continuous process. After every shortcoming, one must repent. Again and again.

Drawing inspiration from her experiences and her exploration of repetitive processes in spirituality, Aya Nadera examines the complexity of repentance through a meticulous, repetitive examination of the word Repentance itself. With every shortcoming comes the opportunity for repentance; through this performance, the artist lays bare the rawness of this cyclical process.

Over a full day on Saturday, June 1, viewers are invited to watch the unfolding of this personal process. Cutting through a previous piece of work that stands at 2.8m x 2.8m, the artist dissects every word of repentance and pieces them back together as she invites spectators to reflect on their wrongdoings and the potential for redemption. This exploration attempts to transcend the boundaries of individual experience, inviting onlookers to participate in the artist’s self-discovery and spiritual growth that extend beyond the material confines of the performance itself.

Aya Nadera Zantout is a multidisciplinary artist and architect from Beirut. She dedicates much of her creative and professional work to navigating the intersections of art, history, the built environment, and identity in its myriad layers. Aya’s work draws on personal and familial archives to deconstruct belonging in its various forms. A photographer, painter, and printmaker amongst other things, she has participated in multiple collective shows in Beirut and Europe.