In Exile - A reminder

Steve Sabella believes that “Jerusalem has a distinctive meaning to Palestinians. When asked to, each one of us, undoubtedly, will have a different description of the city. For people who cannot visit it, or whose visit to it is limited to a tourist stay due to occupational constraints, or to those who have been denied the right of return, a certain image of Jerusalem dwells in their imaginations and memories. These, over time, become thoughts suspended and charged with emotion. They also struggle to come to light, and to reality. However, this factual reality is colonized and entrapped. Hence, he “would like to liberate and transform these imaginings and thoughts into visual images—that is, to create a photographic image from the descriptions of these various mental ‘images’ of Jerusalem” as relayed to him by Palestinians from all over the world.

“Jerusalem needs visual liberation. This can only be achieved if a new dimension is added to the photographs. This dimension exists in us—deep in the imagination. Reaching that dimension requires a deep look, a journey into the minds of many people; where they will all unite to ‘rebuild’ and ‘reconstruct’ Jerusalem.” I don’t believe you have to be Palestinian by origin to share your own mental image of the city, ‘Jerusalem, or the issues of Exile, Palestine, Belonging, Home or any other related subject.’

So go ahead…Send your mental image of Jerusalem to Steve Sabella…he’ll put your thoughts into art!

For more, I recommend this great read.