Santiago Sierra Launches 24-Hour Name-Reading Performance in London
Spanish conceptual artist Santiago Sierra is set to stage a significant performance in London on September 22 at 6 PM. During this event, Arabic speakers will honor the memory of Palestinians who have lost their lives since May 14, 1948. Organized by A/POLITICAL, the performance will run from 6 PM to midnight on opening night and will continue daily from 10 AM to 6 PM, with a global livestream ensuring that all names are read aloud. The names come from the Gaza Ministry of Health and B'Tselem, with those unknown referred to as majhul. This performance is part of Sierra's exhibition, Death & Money, in Rotterdam, which is ongoing until December 20. Following the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, around 73,000 Palestinian deaths in Gaza are reported.
Key facts
- Santiago Sierra's performance starts 22 September at 6pm UK time in London.
- Arabic speakers read names of Palestinians killed since 14 May 1948.
- Organized by A/POLITICAL at its Kennington headquarters in southeast London.
- Livestream runs 24/7 globally; in-person hours are 6pm-midnight on opening day, then 10am-6pm daily.
- Names sourced from Gaza Ministry of Health via Iraq Body Count, B'Tselem, and The Jerusalem Legal Aid and Human Rights Centre.
- Unidentified victims are named as majhul ('unknown').
- Partner institutions streaming include Club Saw (Ottawa), Rua Red (Dublin), and Dar Jacir (Bethlehem).
- Coincides with Sierra's exhibition Death & Money at Brutus Art Space, Rotterdam, until 20 December.
- Sierra cites his 2017 Syrian conflict performance and On Kawara's One Million Years (1999) as influences.
- Since 7 October 2023, nearly 73,000 Palestinians estimated killed in Gaza, per WHO and Palestinian Ministry of Health.
Entities
Artists
Institutions
- A/POLITICAL
- Gaza Ministry of Health
- Iraq Body Count
- B'Tselem
- The Jerusalem Legal Aid and Human Rights Centre
- Club Saw
- Rua Red
- Dar Jacir
- Brutus Art Space
- World Health Organization
- Palestinian Ministry of Health
- Hamas
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom
- Kennington
- Ottawa
- Canada
- Dublin
- Ireland
- Bethlehem
- Palestine
- Rotterdam
- Netherlands
- Tel Aviv
- Israel
- Vienna
- Austria
- Buenos Aires
- Argentina
- Gaza
- Syria