Made in Palestine: A Dazzling Art Exhibition Documenting the Struggles of the Palestinian People
March 26, 2006
Review of Art Exhibition, "Made in Palestine"
By Lucine Kasbarian
Made in Palestine
Through May 27, 2006
The Bridge Gallery
521 W. 26th Street, 3rd floor
New York, NY
Originally exhibited at: stationmuseum.com/past-exhibitions/made-in-palestine/
"If the essence of art is freedom of expression, then framed in the context of its national legacy of Al Nakba (the Catastrophe), Palestinian art is, in essence, an expression of freedom denied," says Tarif Abboushi. He is referring to "Made in Palestine," a dazzling exhibition documenting the struggles of the Palestinian people.
It seems unbelievable, but no art venue in New York City would house this honest look at the Palestinian resistance as seen through the eyes of 23 contemporary Palestinian artists living under occupation or in exile. But with the New York Theater Workshop's last minute decision to cancel a play about the life of Rachel Corrie, perhaps it's just part of a larger trend of artistic self-censorship. The show organizers were undaunted, however, and marshaled funds to rent gallery space to bring "Made in Palestine" to New York City.
Among the commanding, museum-quality works on display are political prisoner Zudhi al-Adawi's "Massacre Will Not Bring Our End;" Rajie Cook's "Ammo Box: A Time to Cast Stones;" Samia Halaby's "Palestine: from the Mediterranean Sea to the Jordan River;" John Halaka's "Stripped of their Identity, Driven from their Land;" Emily Jacir's "Refugee Tent Memorial to Palestinian Villages Destroyed, Depopulated and Occupied;" and Mary Tuma's "Homes for the Disembodied."
"Made in Palestine" will remain on display until Sunday, May 27, 2006. There will be a closing exhibition party on this date from 6-9 p.m., also at the Bridge Gallery, 521 W. 26th Street, 3rd floor, New York, NY.
Keywords: Human Rights, Genocide, Occupation, Culture, Media, Censorship, Repression, Civil Rights, Local