"Sawtam," an immersive audio-visual installation, delves into the profound intricacies of language and communication, embracing both the simplicity of individual phonemes and the complexity of collective expression. The title, translating to "phoneme" in English, encapsulates the essence of the work: an exploration of the fundamental units of spoken language, specifically within the sounds of the Arabic alphabet.
Constructed as a grid of 28 screens, each representing a single Arabic letter and its corresponding phoneme, an intricate dance of form and resonance takes place, where abstract sounds morph into concrete shapes that pulse in harmony with the sudden bursts of phonetic sound. The abstract shapes swaying and resonating akin to a wind charm affected by an unseen force.
The work reflects a duality, presenting phonemes as both elemental sounds devoid of inherent meaning, and the foundational units that when assembled, construct the complexity of spoken discourse. This interplay of 'sense' and 'nonsense' echoes the inherent nature of language, where meaning is derived not from individual units, but from their syntactic arrangement, reflecting the process of discovering one's voice amidst the noise. The installation serves as a tribute to the power of language, underlining how the smallest of sounds can conjoin into a symphony of revelations, enriching our understanding of both individual expression and communication.