Public Therapy Tour.
Public Art Project.
AM Qattan Foundation & Matadero Madrid.
2019
Overview
This project was initially conceived as part of an artistic residency with AM Qattan Foundation in Ramallah. The initial idea was to bring therapy into public spaces through an artistic intervention.
The idea was to create a ‘therapeutic’ box, within a public space: to invite participants to turn inward by creating a safe space for personal expression. The idea was to record personal histories through anonymous writing and audio recordings.
Inevitably, personal narratives turned political. The vehicle itself became a tool for personal and political expression, and most stories became a living testimony of life under military occupation.
This project was initially conceived as part of an artistic residency with AM Qattan Foundation in Ramallah. The initial idea was to bring therapy into public spaces through an artistic intervention.
The idea was to create a ‘therapeutic’ box, within a public space: to invite participants to turn inward by creating a safe space for personal expression. The idea was to record personal histories through anonymous writing and audio recordings.
Inevitably, personal narratives turned political. The vehicle itself became a tool for personal and political expression, and most stories became a living testimony of life under military occupation.
The Process
Because freedom of movement is limited between Palestinian cities inside the West Bank, we created a ‘listening’ box: one that could travel across the region to serve a number of different communities.
As part of the tour, we collaborated with local theater organizations to conduct a series of listening workshops and theater activations. Collaborators included: Al Harah Theatre, YES Theatre, the Freedom Theatre from Jenin, Lajee Center, and Bait Byout.
The project was produced with additional support from the Colonization & Wall Resistance Commission, as well as the Palestinian Authority Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Because freedom of movement is limited between Palestinian cities inside the West Bank, we created a ‘listening’ box: one that could travel across the region to serve a number of different communities.
As part of the tour, we collaborated with local theater organizations to conduct a series of listening workshops and theater activations. Collaborators included: Al Harah Theatre, YES Theatre, the Freedom Theatre from Jenin, Lajee Center, and Bait Byout.
The project was produced with additional support from the Colonization & Wall Resistance Commission, as well as the Palestinian Authority Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Places
The idea was to work with a diversity of communities living within different contexts inside the West Bank. We worked across areas A, B, and C, with rural and urban communities.
Workshop & recording locations included: Khan al Ahmar, Zubeidat, Jenin, Hebron, Bethlehem, Aida Camp, Beit Jala, Jericho, Ramallah: city center, Ramallah: Amari Camp, Ramallah: old city.
The idea was to work with a diversity of communities living within different contexts inside the West Bank. We worked across areas A, B, and C, with rural and urban communities.
Workshop & recording locations included: Khan al Ahmar, Zubeidat, Jenin, Hebron, Bethlehem, Aida Camp, Beit Jala, Jericho, Ramallah: city center, Ramallah: Amari Camp, Ramallah: old city.
