By Palestine Museum US, April 26, 2024
Venice, Italy and Woodbridge, CT, USA – April 26, 2024 – Palestine Museum US is proud to announce the launch of the “Foreigners in their Homeland” exhibition. This exhibition, featuring works by 27 artists, aims to shed light on the struggles faced by the Palestinian people under Israeli occupation, apartheid rule, and the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
Hosted by the European Cultural Center at its Palazzo Mora venue, the exhibition will run through November 24th, 2024. Faisal Saleh, the show curator and Museum director, expressed gratitude to the ECC for providing a platform for Palestinian voices to be heard amidst attempts to silence and erase them in many western countries and institutions.
Notable highlights of the exhibition include a powerful 3.8 meter-wide acrylic on canvas piece by Samia Halaby titled “Massacre of the Innocents in Gaza.” Additionally, a memorial honoring 2,500 murdered Gaza civilians, their names hand-written and sewn onto a Palestinian flag by 85 individuals from the Scotland Highlands, curated by Jane Frere, stands as a poignant tribute. Jane Frere is the only non-Palestinian artist featured in the exhibition.
The inclusion of Gaza artists, such as Maisara Baroud with “I am Still Alive” and Mohammed Alhaj with “Diary of a Displaced Artist,” adds a unique perspective. Their works, comprising a total of 140 A4-size printed sketches on translucent paper, are hung in front of a large window to create a curtain illuminated by natural light.
Each artwork in the exhibit serves as a poignant expression of a distinct facet of the Palestinian daily struggle, capturing the essence of the challenges, injustices, and resilience of a people navigating the brutality of occupation, apartheid, and genocide. Through various mediums and perspectives, these artworks delve deep into the heart of an oppressed nation facing erasure and dispossession, yet standing strong in the face of adversity. Together, these works coalesce to form a profound tapestry that embodies a ‘shredded homeland,’ echoing the sentiments articulated in the short animation film by Palestinian architect and artist Nisreen Zahda. Through their collective voice, these artworks shed light on the multifaceted layers of the Palestinian experience, inviting understanding and reflection.
Ahed Izhiman’s ‘Detachment’ shows the extent to which the Separation Wall has become a part of everyone’s lives to the point where a newlywed could have their photo taken oblivious to the wall behind them.
Samia Halaby’s ‘Massacre of the Innocents in Gaza’ memorializes the horrors and atrocities committed against women, children and other civilians in the ongoing Israeli genocide in Gaza.
In her ‘A Tale of a Shredded Homeland,’ Nisreen Zahda using 3D animation, illustrates how hundreds of illegal settlements, checkpoints, surveillance cameras, and other movement restrictions have transform the west bank into a shredded homeland.
The “Foreigners in their Homeland” exhibition serves as a crucial platform for artists to convey the profound experiences and narratives of Palestinians in the face of adversity.
About Palestine Museum US
Palestine Museum US is a leading institution dedicated to promoting Palestinian art, history, and culture. Established in 2018, the museum strives to amplify the voices of Palestinian artists and facilitate dialogue on Palestinian issues. Through exhibitions, educational programs, and community outreach, Palestine Museum US aims to raise global awareness and foster a deeper understanding of the Palestinian experience.
