On 22 March 2024, we - the Bremen peace foundation die schwelle and the Förderverein Bethlehem Akademie e.V. – could open the photo exhibition "Inhabited Spaces" in Bremen at the “Altes Fundamt”. The photos in the exhibition "Inhabited Spaces" were taken in 2022 by young photo artists in the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and Gaza. They show everyday life before 7 October 2023, before the Hamas massacre of Israeli civilians and the subsequent devastating war by the Israeli army in Gaza. In the summer of 2023, after a visit to Bethlehem, we at the schwelle Foundation decided to bring these unique photos, which had previously only been shown at Dar al-Kalima University, to Germany and initially exhibit them in Bremen. After 7 October (the exhibition panels had just been commissioned for printing), it quickly became clear that the motifs from the Gaza Strip on display had nothing in common with the title of the exhibition: Instead of lively spaces, the people there find 'Lost Spaces' or 'Destroyed Spaces'. The children, youth, women and men presented in the photos in various everyday situations show a diverse life in 2022: children putting on make-up, playing on the beach and releasing balloons, young people 'jumping' in a parcours competition and young men with disabilities playing soccer. We can see women on the roof terrace drinking coffee and preparing food, other motifs show a view of a starry sky, and you can guess how thoughts are wandering.
The theme "Inhabited Spaces" gave young Palestinian photographers the opportunity to express their own ideas about the social conditions surrounding them. Some photographers chose personal or social spaces, others chose public spaces where people find what they lack elsewhere. Others chose spaces that represent their collective identity as Palestinians, and still others chose to show the present and the past of the same space in their photos. However, as with all creative arts, there are those who move beyond the familiar and seek out distant spaces inhabited by strangers (from the introductory text of the photo catalogue). This everyday life was still possible in 2022 despite the closure of the Gaza Strip by the Israeli army.
The fact that so many photos of young people from Gaza were submitted to the photo competition organized by Dar al-Kalima University can be explained by the new branch established in Gaza City a few years ago. There was a great deal of interest in artistic study subjects. This branch, founded by Mitri Raheb and his dedicated team in Gaza, was completely destroyed by the Israeli military in November 2023. Many people were killed in the attack. This includes Mohamed Al-Reefi, whose photos 'The sea of Gaza' show how people use the sea and the beach as a source of hope.
The pain and grief are immeasurable. When board members of the Bremen-based schwelle Foundation visited Bethlehem in April last year, Mitri Raheb said when asked about the aims of Dar al-Kalima's educational and cultural work: "The young people should not celebrate martyrdom, but life! We educate them for a future worth living". The exhibition highlights the creativity and artistic qualities that young Palestinians have within them and can express. The Dar al-Kalima University provides the framework for this.
The schwelle Foundation supports projects and organizations worldwide that are committed to human rights, peace and justice. We are delighted to be able to show this exhibition in Germany in cooperation with the support organization Bethlehem Akademie e.V. If you are interested, individuals, communities and organizations can contact: info[at]dieschwelle.de
Partner project in Israel and Palestine: Combatants for Peace
