Past Disquiet

Framer Framed is proud to present Past Disquiet from February 27 to May 25, 2025. Drawing on over a decade of research by curators Kristine Khouri and Rasha Salti, this documentary and archival exhibition uncovers a largely forgotten history of politically engaged artists and initiatives and their role in anti-imperialist solidarity movements from the 1960s to the 1980s.

This iteration of Past Disquiet also casts a special focus on the history of artistic solidarity within the Netherlands, and particularly in Amsterdam where many solidarity organisations were based. It explores how international movements from the 1960s, ‘70s and ‘80s, such as the anti-apartheid, anti-Vietnam War, and Chilean resistance efforts, were met with local activism.

Past Disquiet traces its research to four forgotten ‘museums in solidarity’: the International Art Exhibition for Palestine (Lebanon, 1978), the Museum of Latin American Art in Solidarity with Nicaragua, the International Museum of the Resistance Salvador Allende, and Art Contre/Against Apartheid. These initiatives were intended as acts of solidarity, supporting the liberation struggles of the Palestinian people, the Sandinista revolution in Nicaragua, rejecting the Pinochet dictatorship in Chile, and opposing the apartheid regime in South Africa. Despite their significant scale and impact, the presented collections have largely faded from historical memory.

Curators Khouri and Salti’s research journey followed threads from Beirut, Paris, Rome, Rabat, Baghdad, Tokyo, Venice, Santiago, Managua and Cape Town, back and forth. Their investigation uncovered thousands of intersecting stories of visionaries who organised exhibitions, intervened in public spaces, and created a particular form of museum as an embodiment of their causes. Through compelling archival materials—documents, photographs, pamphlets, press clippings, posters, interviews and videos—the exhibition brings this shared counter-history of art practice and political mobilisation to light. 

Past Disquiet opens on February 27 at 7pm with an introduction by curator Rasha Salti and a performance by protest song choir Verzet per Couplet.

Curators: Kristine Khouri, Rasha Salti
Scenography and graphic design: Farah Fayyad, Hatem Imam

Alongside the exhibition, Framer Framed hosts a public programme featuring talks, workshops and screenings, as well as guided tours. On 1 March, scenographer Hatem Imam and curator Rasha Salti will discuss the evolution of the exhibition's research and design. The talk will be moderated by Amira Gad.

Each month during Past Disquiet, Framer Framed welcomes visitors to a guided tour led by curator Rasha Salti. Tours are scheduled on March 15, April 12 and May 10 at 2pm. Additional group visits and guided tours can be arranged by emailing groupvisit[at]framerframed.nl.

For press enquiries, please contact: press[​at​]framerframed.nl

Supported by Ministry of Education, Culture and Science; Amsterdam Fund for the Arts; Municipality of Amsterdam; VriendenLoterij Fonds; International Institute of Social History; Het Documentaire Paviljoen (IDFA); and Nieuwe Instituut. 

The visit of Hatem Imam is made possible by the International Visitors Programme of the Nieuwe Instituut with support from the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs.