Intimate Distance 2022 by Areej Kaoud

New audio artwork by Areej Kaoud - " Intimate Distance " 2022

The pandemic has brought about an unnatural experience of time and isolation and my body craves a bit of fantasy in its diaspora days. Incapable of returning home, the pandemic also took my physical capacity to even meet the loved ones who represent home. So I exercised… Many times my body sends fantastical, survivalist signals to my mind whilst I am exercising: I hop on the spot at the corner of a junction and for endless seconds my imagination is fully seeing my loved one. The shine in their eyes is real, I am making eye contact, kissing their cheeks, we are hugging in disbelief, releasing a sweet Arabic flirtation at this sudden, unexpected encounter. For these brief moments I win a point over isolation. I win this competition between the unmoved self and the yearning and playful self - even if at a loss.