Screen-print on mesh, basil plants, wooden archway structures.

4meter h 27.6 meters long

Commissioned by Diriyah Biennale
Foundation for the Islamic Arts Biennale 2025 ، Jeddah Saudi Arabia

In this scent-based artwork, Fatma Abdulhadi delves into family heirlooms and Islamic interpretations of the basil plant. Recalling her mother’s saying that “al-rayhan min

reehat al-janna” (the smell of basil is the scent of paradise).  the work recasts the plant’s relation to grieving and remembering deceased loved ones in Muslim societies. In Saudi Arabia, the basil plant is found in many public spaces as well as in communal gatherings to hail those who have passed.Abdulhadi explores the relationship between spirituality and the sensory through I wish you

in heaven. An installation commemorating the basil plant, the work is made of suspended meshes and abundant basil plants, creating an immersive space for contemplation; akin

to transformative passage. The imprints of basil leaves allude to “ghostly” shadows as they move with the wind while also releasing their aroma. The tactility of the work fosters a

connection to nature and symbolizes the enduring presence of lost lives. Abdulhadi creates a space in which she hopes that the deceased have found peace inspired by the

Quranic phrase “rooh wa rayhan wa jannat- al-naeem” (soul, basil, and a garden of

pleasure).