Ola Hassanain's Ecologies of Repair: Water, Colonialism, and Resistance

In 2026, Ola Hassanain, a Sudanese architect and artist, will showcase her work at the Pan-African Architecture Biennale in Nairobi, Kenya. Her installation, 'Tell the Water What the Clay Kept Secret,' delves into the interplay of water, colonialism, and architecture. It draws inspiration from her grandmother's home in Gezira State, Sudan, which was lost due to soil disruption linked to the British colonial Gezira Scheme irrigation project from the early 20th century. The exhibit includes 'A Whispering Dam,' a 2.2m sculpture of the Sennar Dam, adorned with whispered ruqya as a form of resistance. Accompanying this are images of the damaged house. Additionally, 'The Watcher' depicts a figure overseeing water levels in both Sudan and the Netherlands' Waterloopbos, a former hydrological testing area. Hassanain critiques modernist architecture and exploitative water management, highlighting the contrast between large-scale developments and community-centered practices, while connecting the Netherlands, Sudan, and Kenya through shared challenges regarding water control and colonial histories.