The Sound of the Ocean, 2006 

The photographs comprising The Sound of the Ocean are part of the record and process of Sherry Wiggins’s work in the occupied territories of Palestine. For this project, Wiggins interviewed people in both the United States and the West Bank of the occupied territories of Palestine. She transported questions back and forth to create a form of dialogue and thoughtful observation. This work arose out of two questions she asked of several Palestinians: “What is your dream?” and “What is your idea of paradise?” A woman named Suhair said that she “would like to hear the sound of the ocean and would love a garden with a lemon tree and an olive tree.” A man named Joseph answered that he “would like peace anywhere.” A woman named Taghrid dreamed of “the freedom to travel and to study and explore her interests.” Once back in the United States, Wiggins performed a ritual in which she placed an artist’s easel and a golden frame by the Pacific Ocean. She placed different objects in the frame to reflect the dreams of the Palestinians with whom she had spoken. She recorded the process in photographs. First, she placed the empty golden frame, then a painting of a lemon tree for Suhair, a Palestinian flag for Joseph and, finally, a photograph of Taghrid.