7-31 October 2009

Jerusalem

 

An exhibition curated by Samar Martha.

Opening: 7 October 2009 at 6:30 p.m. at the Arab Bank, Sultan Suleiman Road, followed by a tour to the exhibition locations and a reception at the Palestinian Art Court - al Hoash at 9:00 p.m.

The Other Shadow of the City draws inspiration from the city of Jerusalem and its changing urban structure. The exhibition takes the viewer to places outside the spiritual and holy Old City to urban locations that, despite their importance in shaping the contemporary urban city, have been rarely referenced or addressed in literature and art. The exhibition unravels Jerusalem as an urban structure with all its physical, social, economic, and political complexity, demonstrating how urban space is divided, conquered, abandoned, and occupied again.

The Other Shadow of the City features newly commissioned works by 26 international contemporary artists working in painting, sculpture, video, film, installation, text, and photography. The artists set the stage for discussion on a number of themes, such as mobility, visions of utopia/dystopia, surveillance, history and memory, gated communities, and natural environments.

The exhibition is also the culmination of ArtSchool Palestine’s 2008/09 residency programme organised in cooperation with al Hoash Gallery, where 15 artists from the United Kingdom, Germany, Denmark, France, Morocco, Algeria, and Jordan were invited to pursue new projects or research in locations throughout Palestine. For The Other Shadow of the City, nine artists were invited: Anna Boggon, Michael Baers, Sarah Beddington, Zoulikha Bouabdellah, Maj Hasager, Samah Hijawi, Bouchra Khalili, Jakob Jakobsen, and Oraib Toukan.

In addition, the exhibition provided an opportunity for Arab and Palestinian artists, who do not have access to the city of Jerusalem, to respond to their desires and dreams - testifying that ideas about cities are not only formed at a conscious level but are also the product of unconscious desires. The city as a space becomes both the material and lived space as well as a site of fantasy and imagination.

The exhibition will be accompanied by a series of events, including artists’ talks, screenings, and workshops and will take place in a number of venues across Jerusalem, including the Arab Bank venue, which has been closed since 1967, the Palestinian Art Court - al Hoash, and the French Cultural Centre.

Participating artists: Mohammad al Hawajri - Palestine, Jawad Al Malhi  - Palestine, Buthayna Ali - Syria, Rafat Assad - Palestine, Michael Baers - USA, Sarah Beddington - UK, Rana Bishara - Palestine, Anna Boggon - UK, Zoulikha Bouabdellah - Algeria/France, Raouf Haj Yihya - Palestine, Rula Halawani - Palestine, Alexandra Handal - Palestine, Shuruq Harb - Palestine, Maj Hasager - Denmark, Samah Hijawi - Jordan, Jakob Jakobsen - Denmark, Bouchra Khalili - Morocco/France, Yazan Khalili - Palestine, Sliman Mansour - Palestine, Kevork  Mourad - Syria, Riyadh Neama - Iraq, Larissa Sansour - Palestine, Nawras Shalhoub - Palestine, Oraib Toukan - Jordan, Munir Waked - Palestine, Mohanad Yaqubi - Palestine.

Organised by: the Palestinian Art Court - al Hoash  and ArtSchool Palestine in partnership with the British Council, the International Academy of Arts Palestine, the French Cultural Centre - Jerusalem, and Rafia Gallery - Damascus.

Sponsored by: Palestine Investment Fund.

Supported by: Arab Bank LTD., A.M. Qattan Foundation, Consulate General of Belgium, Ford Foundation, Consulate General of Spain-Spanish Cooperation Office, Dr. Nabil Qaddumi, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), the Representative Office of Denmark, and Zina Jardaneh.