Arash Fakhim

The reluctant political response to the atrocities in Gaza has touched Dutch citizens with a migration background profoundly. Arash Fakhim, who came to the Netherlands as a five-year-old, seriously doubts whether the government will actually ensure his safety if the situation calls for it. Rather than taking to the streets, Fakhim is building the Haram Bar as an extension of his studio where everyone is always welcome. The bar has a ceramic kebab skewer and cups and bottles; the centre piece is a large ceramic shisha pipe. Its body is built from the heavy-duty checkered nylon bag that migrants and displaced people often rely on to preserve remnants of their previous homes. Other objects of personal significance adorn the neck while the tray for the tabaco and charcoal is a Crocs clog. An abundance of ceramic flatbreads might point to sharing food – or perhaps to its absence in other places?