The Jerusalem Show, pilot project: Edition 0 October 20^th- 30^th, 2007   Summary

The Jerusalem Show was an art exhibition that showcased works of Palestinian and international artists, held in the Old City of Jerusalem from October 20^th to October 30^th, 2007. Twenty-one artists were invited to offer their perspectives on Jerusalem through art projects, in particular, by directly relating their work to specific locations within the Old City .

Planned and executed as a pilot project, edition 0 of the Jerusalem Show 2007 invited local and international members of the community to re-encounter the city of Jerusalem for all of its multicultural and international facets. The Jerusalem Show's objective was to promote dialogue and mutual understanding among cultures through creative art expression. Rapprochement between different cultures was encouraged through the successful networking of artist, artwork, cultural centers and community. Both the Jerusalem Show exhibition and accompanying program made such exchanges possible. International and local artists were invited to interact with the Jerusalem community and familiarize themselves with the uniquely rich cultural and religious heritage of the city. In return, members of the Jerusalem community - as well as a large number of the general public who were able to travel from various corners of the globe to visit the exhibition - were invited to appreciate, and be inspired by the artworks on exhibit (in addition to familiarizing themselves with current Palestinian art practices). By displaying the artists’ work throughout the Old City itself, the exhibition promoted a re-reading of the city in a creatively accessible and interactive manner. The artworks presented by the twenty-one participating artists constituted a diverse range of mediums that included photography, video work, sculpture, sight specific installations, painting and audio projects. Artwork was installed on street corners, old city walls, in cultural and community centers, in youth playgrounds; illuminating a part of the Old City by night. The Jerusalem Show's exhibited artworks, in particular, caused a dynamic exchange of dialogue to incur among all participants, visitors as well as the Jerusalem community, which was unlike any other event ever witnessed within the framework of the city's cultural/art scene.