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Unremembered

Quarantine, mixed media on birch panel, 36 x 36 x 3 in, 2021. Permanent collection of Anwar Sadat Chair for Peace and Development

A palimpsest is an old piece of parchment or animal skin that scribes used to write their stories on. As the ink faded or the dynasties changed, the old text got scraped off and new layers were added. Despite being washed and scraped, traces of the original writing lingered, and over time, they resurfaced as a secret message that was then ready to be revealed to the searching eye. Palimpsests can be digital or physical. They serve as time capsules and puzzles, inviting the viewer to contemplate the fluidity of reality—how our convictions, memories, relationships, and environments are continuously written, erased, and rewritten, yet can never be completely obliterated.

© 2025 Elaine Qiu. 

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