2009 Azagigaza

Curator Essay

2009 AZAGIGAZA (Palestine)

This is our only hope. YES WE CAN! YES WE MUST!

Professor & Curator Department of Art & Art History University of Colorado at Boulder Boulder, Colorado

From A Palestinian Artist The Palestinian citizens living in Gaza have experienced difficult living and bad economic situation since decades. Most of them are refugees fled from their villages during the 1948 and 1967 wars where the Palestinian territories were occupied. Gaza strip is a highly populated area, with more than 1.4 million residents living in an area of 360 km2 where 500,000 of them are refugees. In 1987, the 1st Intifada erupted in Gaza, after four Palestinians were killed by Israeli truck, and it was spread in the rest of the west bank with the goal to end the Israeli occupation and establish Palestinian Independence. Casualties where high; 1500 dead and tens of thousands inquired, and Gaza had its share. Then a second intifada, referred to as Al Aqsa Intifada, began in 2000, in which casualties reached almost 700 dead and 15000 injuries in West Bank & Gaza. Moreover, Gaza strip has been besieged by the Israeli military forces since early 2006 when Hamas party won the elections. Traveling abroad, exchanging goods or even crossing to the West Bank became a very difficult ambition to achieve. Nevertheless, adding to the external strangling forces, the internal political situation in the same period was unstable due to the conflict between two major parties: Fateh & Hamas, causing chaos, troubles and street fighting which was concluded by a revolution from Hamas taking over Gaza in 2007. Since then, the siege continued and even increased its savageness. In one evening, on December 27th, 2008, a new tragedy in their lives started, a devastating war stroked leaving more than 1,300 dead (40 % women and children), and more than 5350 injured in 22 days. Ceasefire was announced on January 18th, 2009, but by today (day 78 from the start of war) the numbered of the killed people topped to 1455. Thousands of homes, infra structure, tens of Mosques, schools, governmental and non-governmental institution, even UN Relief and Works Agency were shelled and destroyed. The attack included illegal bombs and use of unlawful White Phosphorus. Thousands of sick people and hundreds of pregnant women could not receive the needed hospital care. Because of Gaza's strong family ties and its population density, no one in that impoverished strip was untouched - either by personal loss or by the pain resulting from this assault. What happened in the last war in Gaza is a disgrace to humanity and to the civilized world, a crime witnessed by the whole world . Thousands of people around the world protested to condemn the brutal attacks on Gaza and called for immediate ceasefire. Activists, artists, lawyers, workers, each reflected in his/her own way. This exhibition "AZAG" is one of the powerful reflections organized by a group of aware American artists. Through this exhibition, American artists show solidarity with the Palestinian people, present their objection to the attack, document this part of the history and make a statement. Finally, and in spite of the desperate conditions and continuous tragedies, the people of Gaza manage to live and struggle (work hard) for a better future .

Faten Nastas Mitwasi Chairperson of Visual Arts Department Dar al-Kalima College Bethlehem, Palestine

Palestinian Children Under Occupation Palestine is a youthful place. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics 52.2 percent of Palestinians are under 17, constituting the largest segment of the population, and being the most vulnerable and at risk segment of our society, Palestinian youth are disproportionately affected by the Israeli occupation policies. Hundreds have died and thousands have been detained or injured since the beginning of the second Intifada in September of 2000. In addition to death, injury and detention among the young, Palestinian children also endure restrictions on their movement, curfews, closures, repeated military incursions, the constant threat of violence from Israeli soldiers and settlers that has led to the death of family members and friends. In addition, they have seen the deliberate destruction of homes and schools, expropriation of ancestral land to build a 9 meters high apartheid wall and expanding Jewish settlements inside of the West Bank. Moreover, checkpoints between towns and villages inside of the West Bank prevent free access to medical services and increased poverty, as evident by 51 .5% of the Palestinian households in 2007 falling under the poverty level. Occupation, oppression and apartheid have left a profound psychological impact on the lives of these children . Yet despite the trauma, Palestinian children still dream of and hope for living in a safe and occupation free environment, where they are guaranteed the right to play, move freely, live without fear for their lives, receive good education and health services, not be discriminated against, and to be able to plan for a better future . Dr. Nuha Khoury