In my trip around the world via contemporary art, my next stop was Palestine. Emily Jacir is an artist and filmmaker who was born in Bethlehem but grew up in Saudi Arabia, Italy, and finally the United States where she studied at the Memphis College of Art.
In 2001, Jacir ran an interactive public art project in her New York studio called Memorial to 418 Palestinian Villages Which Were Destroyed, Depopulated, and Occupied by Israel in 1948. Over three months, 140 local Palestinians, Israelis, and others passionate about the cause to helped embroider 418 village names onto a canvas refugee tent.
Jacir soon returned to Palestine to begin one of her most notable projects, Where We Come From. Over three years, Jacir, with the privilege of holding an American passport, famously asked 30 Palestinians facing harsh travel restrictions, “If I could do anything for you, anywhere in Palestine, what would it be?” Requests ranged from playing soccer in the street to visiting separated family members.
A woman named Munir had Jacir bring flowers to her mother’s grave in Jerusalem, a city Munir was denied entry. Jacir captured her journey and task in photos and journal entries. Munir will be displayed at the NCSML and features a photo of Munir’s mother’s grave alongside Munir’s exact request, written in both Arabic and English.
Another of Jacir’s subjects was a man named Mahmoud. He, too, was denied entry into Jerusalem. Jacir was able to go into the city to mail his bills at the post office. Mahmoud will also be displayed at the NCSML .
A project which won Jacir a Golden Lion for promising young artists at the Venice Biennale in 2007 was Material for a film. Material for a film is a project Jacir picked up from late filmmaker Elio Petri who was researching the assassination of Wael Zuaiter. Jacir’s final piece, which involved as much investigative journalism as it did artwork, included a book Zuaiter had been carrying that caught one of the bullets used in his assassination, and a video of Jacir who had gone to a shooting range to feel what it was like to shoot a .22 caliber pistol like the one that had killed Zuaiter.
Jacir returned to the Venice Biennale in 2009 in hopes of presenting her project Stazione. Jacir hoped to add Arabic signs along the Grand Canal to highlight oft-forgotten Arab influences in Venetian architecture, industry, and language. Stazione received initial approval, but could never be fully realized due to political pressure.
Jacir puts a strong focus on helping others through her work, particularly fellow Palestinians who were not given the same opportunities for education and freedom. Jacir seeks to inspire others to use their privilege to identify injustice and work for a more peaceful and welcoming world for all.
Nights at the Museum 