Israeli and Palestinian Wall 2021
Acrylic, prints pigment on printed photo on fabric
In 2014, I applied for the Israeli exchange student program, which was canceled in October due to the Gaza war. Through the American school, I contacted Bezalel Academy of Arts in Israel directly, who stated that although the exchange program with our school was canceled, international students could join in the program. Therefore, I applied for the exchange program at personal risk.
China is one of the few countries recognizing Palestine as an independent country and donating humanitarian supplies to it over years. It was also one of the few countries that sheltered Jews in large numbers during World War II. Therefore, Palestinians, Arabs, and Jews expressed extreme hospitality and enthusiasm toward me during the war, because of my unique Chinese identity. During my stay, I gained the opportunity to conduct more in-depth interviews on different ethnic groups to understand their interpretation of Israeli politics.
I found that different ethnic groups have completely different interpretations of foreign ethnicity and history. At the same time, in different ethnic groups, conservatives and moderate parties, young people and elderly people have entirely different interpretations of religions and political authorities.
Untitled 2014
Photography Digital
As a Chinese photographer, I have also witnessed the friendly and beautiful side of three ethnic groups -the Jew, Palestinien and Arab. This experience allowed me to penetrate the cultures of both nations and discover their common good in humanity. After ten months of material collection and creation, my exhibition, titled War and Peace, was held at the Bezalel Academy of Arts and called for peace in the war. The theme of my series appeals to people to abandon prejudice and see the goodness and purity, has promoted humanity and fight for the rights of children and has made a considerable impact. The experience made me understand that art possesses an immeasurable power for influencing human nature and the world.
Untitled 2014
Photography Digital
Details
The series of work using daily life fragments reform contemporary Israeli cultural life, containing photos of representative religious and political elements and people’s lives. There are the old pilgrimage sites of major religions in Israel, the friendly yet guarded Pales\nian people, Arabs smoking hookah and Israeli soldiers. Life here is rife with conflicting factors of religion, history, and culture. On the surface, it is relatively secular, nothing but students going to school, people going worship, and stationed soldiers.
One key feature of the war is the demonization and alienation of the enemy. In the picture, two portrayals of secular lives are juxtaposed in the same frame, showing the commonality of humanity rather than differences in customs or religion. I have also no\ced more subtle signs of manipula\ons. For example, the establishment of the separating wall, political slogans everywhere, unemployed Arabs, etc.
Details
Details
The wall barrier between Israel and Palestine is a manifestation of intense political opposition. Many artists painted graffiti on the wall and made their voices heard. Therefore, I recreated a small-scale model of it, reshaping the local political tension and the artists' aspiration for peace.
The series of work embodiment of three dimensions. The first aspect is the Israeli people’s custom, the second is local religion, and the third is the local religion under foreign poli\cal influence.These three aspects complement each other, and together they form the complexity of contemporary Israeli life.
The work is a portrayal of contemporary Israeli lives, politics and social scenes. These collected images are juxtaposed together, allowing the viewer to be immersed in the narratives. You can pick up any fragment and ponder on its significance.
Fence 2021
Cement on board, acrylic paint
60 x 120 cm x 4 pieces
Comments