ailo montserrat

☆ UPDATE ☆ Due to my clinic in Barcelona closing unexpectedly next May I’ve had to bring my surgery forwards from September to April. I will have to borrow the remainder, to pay it back over the next few months as I fundraise the rest. But the more I can gather together before surgery the better, so I greatly appreciate any boost & share & support over next few weeks <3 i have been absolutely humbled and moved by everyone’s support so far, thank you thank you deeply xxxxxxx Hiii everyone, Feel like i’m dreaming but here it is… I’m undertaking FFS (facial feminisation surgery) in september 2026 and I’ve launched a fundraiser (link up top) to help cover the costs. Any boost would mean a lot so pls share and leave a comment <3 Honestly monosyllabic & lost for words—maybe someday I’ll write something longer and to the bone about what’s been coming up for me, about going under the knife as a beautiful kind of griefwork, but for now i’ll keep it short. I was cautioned that transition would be a lonely path to isolation, and while it has not been an easy path at times i have never felt so accompanied, supported, and held—finding your people is truly magic. And the power of mutual aid in our community continues to astonish and humble me. Special shoutout to my bffs @nostalgia.nausea and @vanitycrystal and my gorgeous girl @alicehanako for helping me put this gfm together and just generally being angels ✩ Goes without saying but if you’re fundraising for your own thing pls don’t donate! More fundraising antics such as supper clubs, party, etc. TBC Thank you love you all <33 Pic post-party by @alicehanako earlier this year

Our arabic/english book 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑭𝒂𝒔𝒕-𝑮𝒓𝒐𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑺𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑬𝒔𝒄𝒂𝒑𝒆𝒅 𝑾𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒆-𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑾𝒂𝒍𝒍-𝑩𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑺𝒆𝒍𝒇-𝑪𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑶𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓-𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒏-𝑵𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒍 𝑵𝒐-𝑴𝒂𝒏’𝒔 𝑻𝒓𝒆𝒆 is printed and out in the world 🌿 These photos are from Areej’s recent visit to Dheisheh refugee camp, where she shared the book with Naji Odeh from Laylac Center @laylac_center , who generously guided us through the camp two years ago and shared his insights on trees as political beings for Palestinian refugees in Dheisheh. Together, they revisited some of the specific trees that we capture and describe throughout the book. In August 2022, I visited Palestine and together with Areej we went on various research trips, driving around the country in the blazing heat, mostly observing and spending time with trees, ones we had been searching for and ones that found us, sacred and non-sacred, on both sides of the Israeli separation wall. One of the trees that found us—almost everywhere we went—was Ailanthus altissima, otherwise known as the Tree of Heaven, Chinese Sumac or Stinking Sumac in English. As we analysed the growth patterns of this tree, particularly in Beit Hanina, Jerusalem, and Dheisheh Refugee Camp, Bethlehem, many questions emerged. Our exchanges inspired us to explore these reflections in a joint piece, culminating in this book; a book which wouldn’t be what it is today without the generous time, ideas, and experience people have gifted us along the way. In no particular order, we want to express our gratitude to Naji Odeh, for guiding us; Matthew Battles @mbattles , for editing the text; Mothanna Hussein @mothannahussein , for designing the cover; and to Susan Schuppli @cra_goldsmiths , Gabriella Demzcuk @gdemczuk , Xavier Ribas xavierribas_ , Mary Goody, Ahmad Makia @sharjahart , Omar Hmidat @omar.al3rabi , Lobna Alsana @lobnaalsana , Raja’ @abbadrajaa , Sonia @soniaash , Areen @areenashhab , and Majd Ashhab @majdashhab , for their endless support. Co-published by @alwahat.collective and Sharjah Art Foundation, this book was made possible through the foundation’s Publishing Grant 2023.

Finally able to announce what we’ve been cooking up and it’s major★⋆. ࿐࿔ On the 14th of June for one night only @avaloncafebermondsey ꩜ transCendenZ ꩜ promises full hearts & bruised feet courtesy of an absolutely bonkers line-up… you don’t wanna miss this. Get your dancing shoes on for the sublime @karliemarx.wav @_sippin_t @vanitycrystal @planningtorock @eula.xo So ridiculously excited (⸝⸝๑﹏๑⸝⸝) 5pm - midnight, pay what you can minimum £15 (dm if you need cheap link). Black trans people go free. My surgery date was brought forward unexpectedly last minute due to my clinic closing down, so this party is now a face-reveal-and-help-me-pay-off-my-debt party. To set out on such a fool’s errand into unfamiliar waters to be remade in the image of myself has, quite literally, ripped me up and sown be back together again in more ways than one—the depths of kindness I have experienced from loved ones and complete strangers has been game-changing. It is a beautiful and humbling reminder of why we do what we do, and the transformative power of mutual aid—truly we are the change. In the words of Allegra Geller “you have to play the game in order to find out why you’re playing”. Transitioning in community with you all has shown me why I’m playing. So in the spirit of that I am throwing a party to celebrate the magic of mutual aid, my new face, YOU all, my literal chosen family (special shoutout to my bff @nostalgia.nausea for designing the sexiest poster and my actual sister karlie for helping this happen at every step of the way), my skeleton for holding it all in/up, the demoness Allegra Geller, etc. but with the same goal as always of helping me pay off the remaining few k of my surgery debt. This is the *final push*, we’re so so close & it would mean so much to me to dance with you <33 .˳·˖✶𓆩𓇗 ☆see u on the dancefloor 𓁺 long live the new flesh ☆𓇗𓆪✶˖·˳. self portraits and photos 2 & 3 by my love @alicehanako from the pre/post-op

After three years of research and collaborative material practice across Palestine, Mexico and Spain, our first chapter of Wild Hedges is on show until the end of August at Salt Beyoğlu in Istanbul as part of the show Breaking Through the Dam 🌀 Thanks to @gulceozkara @emirhanaltuner and the rest of the team at @salt_online , and our forever collaborators and friends at @sakiyaorg @alwahat.collective @alwahat.collective @alwahat.collective

wrote a short piece titled Seven Owls for @the.stone.club zine about rocks my grandmother collected that she thought looked like owls, Alzheimer’s, gardening (or lack thereof, of letting weeds go to seed), and grief. here is an excerpt and some snapshots of a small run of riso zines of an earlier version of the text with images of her rocks and granite kitchen counter, in whose swirling patterns she would see endless owls each morning as we shared breakfast. i wrote this piece for myself as much as for her, in an attempt to metabolise my grief through the lessons she left me in seeing things where there is “nothing there to see”. available in print via the Stone Club and also soon on an ✹incoming✹ substack watch this space etc etc ☆ love and rage ☆

Moltes gràcies a tothom qui s'ha apropat a la presentació del llibre «L’arbre no humà i no natural que s’auto-clona, trenca murs, devora residus, s’escapa, fa pudor i creix amb rapidesa», d’Areej Ashhab i Ailo Ribas, publicat per Sharjah Art Foundation i Al-Wah'at (2024) a l'Arborètum Dr.Pius Font i Quer-Jardí Botànic de Lleida. A la presentació han participarat l'Ailo Ribas (autora del llibre), Christian Alonso (comissari de l'exposició «Plantes migrants»), Silvina Sànchez (responsable de Silvinaction.cat, agenda cultural de Lleida) i Alejandro Juárez (director de l'Arborètum).  El llibre de l'Ailo i l'Areej és el resultat d’una setmana compartida a Palestina l’agost de 2022 i de les trobades que van mantenir amb l’anomenat arbre del cel, o arbre de l’infern (Ailanthus altissima), introduït a Palestina entre les dècades de 1960 i 1980 pel Jewish National Fund. Aquesta espècie considerada «invasora» va ser el punt de partida de les seves reflexions sobre la terra i la persistència en un context d’ocupació colonial. L’Areej comparteix històries personals de l’arbre a les cases de la seva família a Jerusalem i Betlem, relacionant-ne els patrons de creixement amb el paisatge ecològic i polític canviant de Palestina. L’Ailo, per la seva banda, analitza la noció d’invasivitat associada a les «males herbes» i, en aquest cas, a l’arbre, com un mitjà per abordar qüestions de pertinença i de resistència a la Palestina ocupada. Aquesta activitat forma part del programa públic d’activitats de l’exposició «Plantes migrants» (Arborètum) de l’artista i jardinera Vicky Benítez, que reuneix pintures elaborades sobre paper fet amb fibres de plantes «exòtiques i invasores» , estretament vinculades als processos de colonialisme europeu i capitalisme global. Activitat organitzada en el marc del Dia Mundial de la Vida Silvestre i del Dia Internacional de la Dona.

El proper dissabte 7 de març 2026 a les 12:00 h, tindrà lloc a l’ArborètumJardí Botànic de Lleida la presentació del llibre «L’arbre no humà i no natural que s’auto-clona, trenca murs, devora residus, s’escapa, fa pudor i creix amb rapidesa», d’Areej Ashhab i Ailo Ribas, publicat per Sharjah Art Foundation i Al-Wah'at (2024). A la presentació participaran l'Ailo Ribas (autora del llibre), Christian Alonso (comissari de l'exposició «Plantes migrants»), Silvina Sànchez (responsable de Silvinaction.cat, agenda cultural de Lleida) i Alejandro Juárez (director de l'Arborètum).  El llibre de l'Ailo i l'Areej és el resultat d’una setmana compartida a Palestina l’agost de 2022 i de les trobades que van mantenir amb l’anomenat arbre del cel, o arbre de l’infern (Ailanthus altissima), introduït a Palestina entre les dècades de 1960 i 1980 pel Jewish National Fund. Aquesta espècie considerada «invasora» va ser el punt de partida de les seves reflexions sobre la terra i la persistència en un context d’ocupació colonial. L’Areej comparteix històries personals de l’arbre a les cases de la seva família a Jerusalem i Betlem, relacionant-ne els patrons de creixement amb el paisatge ecològic i polític canviant de Palestina. L’Ailo, per la seva banda, analitza la noció d’invasivitat associada a les «males herbes» i, en aquest cas, a l’arbre, com un mitjà per abordar qüestions de pertinença i de resistència a la Palestina ocupada. Aquesta activitat forma part del programa públic d’activitats de l’exposició «Plantes migrants» (Arborètum) de l’artista i jardinera Vicky Benítez, que reuneix pintures elaborades sobre paper fet amb fibres de plantes «exòtiques i invasores» , estretament vinculades als processos de colonialisme europeu i capitalisme global. Activitat organitzada en el marc del Dia Mundial de la Vida Silvestre i del Dia Internacional de la Dona.

«Arrels tossudes: la història d’un arbre a Palestina». El dijous 11 de desembre de 2025, el programa radiofònic d’abast nacional Mediterráneo (RNE / Radio 3) enregistrarà una sessió sobre l’exposició «Plantes migrants», de l’artista Vicky Benítez, a l’Arborètum Dr. Pius Font i Quer – Jardí Botànic de Lleida. La periodista que conduirà la sessió serà Pilar Sampietro, que comptarà amb la presència d’Ailo Ribas (escriptora, investigadora i activista), Christian Alonso (professor a la Universitat de Lleida i comissari de l’exposició) i Alejandro Juárez (professor a la Universitat de Lleida i director de l’Arborètum). El programa es retransmetrà el diumenge 14 de desembre, a les 9 h, a Radio 3 / Mediterráneo, i després estarà disponible en versió podcast. «The Fast-Growing Stinking Escaped Waste-Loving Wall-Breaching Self-Cloning Other-Than-Natural No-Man's Tree» és un llibre d’artista d’Areej Ashhab i Ailo Ribas publicat per la Sharjah Art Foundation el 2024. L’obra se centra en l’Ailanthus altissima, un arbre introduït per la Jewish National Fund entre els anys seixanta i vuitanta a Jerusalem i considerat avui una espècie invasora. La Jewish National Fund (JNF) és una organització sionista fundada l’any 1901 amb l’objectiu inicial de comprar i administrar terres a Palestina per al poble jueu. Tot i que en un principi tenia una funció sobretot financera i territorial, amb el temps s’ha convertit en un instrument clau de l’enginyeria ambiental, simbòlica i política de l’Estat d’Israel. A través de textos i imatges, el llibre d’Areej Ashhab i Ailo Ribas analitza les implicacions ecològiques, polítiques i colonials d’aquesta espècie, mostrant com la seva expansió reflecteix dinàmiques de poder, aforestació imposada i transformació forçada del territori palestí. L’arbre esdevé una metàfora crítica del colonialisme ambiental i de les formes de resistència. L’exposició «Plantes migrants» presenta dibuixos de Vicky Benítez fets amb fibres de plantes invasores per explorar críticament el seu significat ecològic, històric i polític en relació amb el colonialisme i el capitalisme globals.

Wednesday May 21 at Khalil Sakakini, Ramallah A Book Launch and Conversation with Yara Dowani @omsleimanfarm and Amanny Ahmad @lalph_rauren (Event in English) Areej Ashhab and Ailo Ribas will introduce their collaborative book The fast-growing stinking escaped waste-loving wall-breaching self-cloning other-than-natural no-man’s tree. This collaboration stemmed from their time spent together in Palestine in August 2022 and their encounters with Ailanthus altissima (tree of heaven, tree of hell). An “invasive” species introduced to Palestine during the 1960s and 1980s as part of the Jewish National Fund (JNF) greenwashing, the tree was a starting point for their reflections on land and persistence amidst settler colonialism. Yara Dowani, a farmer from Om Sleiman Farm, will join us to reflect on how “invasive” species can be thought of as catalysts for regeneration especially through her interest and research in syntropic farming. Amanny Ahmad, an artist, cook, land worker, and folk herbalist, will share her thoughts on how relationships between humans & non-humans, botany & plant use can teach us about survival. [Arabic in first comment]

29 today with my aries twin, my bestie, my wifey, my dream girl, my home. The J to my 0! Thank you for being you, life is sillier and softer and makes more sense now you're in it.

Resurrect Me as a Parasite (2025) by @postdao & @loulousainsbury 🦇🩸

🌿 22 March 19h Limestone Books, Maastricht 🌿 Areej Ashhab and Ailo Ribas will introduce their collaborative book The fast-growing stinking escaped waste-loving wall-breaching self-cloning other-than-natural no-man’s tree. This collaboration stemmed from their journey through Palestine in August 2022 and their encounters with Ailanthus altissima (tree of heaven, tree of hell). An “invasive” species introduced to Palestine during the 1960s and 1980s as part of the Jewish National Fund (JNF) Forestry and Green Innovations, the tree was a starting point for their reflections on land and persistence amidst settler colonialism. Areej shares personal stories of the tree from her family’s homes in Jerusalem and Bethlehem, relating its growth patterns to the shifting ecological and political landscape of Palestine; and Ailo unpacks the notion of weediness associated with the tree as a means of addressing issues of belonging and resistance in occupied Palestine. There is limited capacity so come early to ensure you can get in!