For the first year architecture students at Birzeit University in occupied Palestine, the idea of participating in an art event in France brought excitement anda chance to dream. It was a chance to go beyond the confines ofthe siege, checkpoints and the menacing “separation Wall”, a chance to reach out creatively to others in the world, sharing universal issues. The invitation by Sylvie de Meurville to have students from Birzeit University participate with artworks in the 2005 Wattwiller“la Fete d l’Eau” was immediately incorporatedas a major assignment in the activities designated for the “Visual Communications” course which is a foundation course for first year architecture students. Such an assignment was in total harmony with the course’s objectives which among other things seeks to encourage visual sensitivity, perception, imagination and artistic application. The challenge in the water project was to open horizons, to break stereotypes to confront materials with novel applications. Generally the new architecture students come with hardly any exposure to art or aesthetics. The many years of Israeli occupation and the pressing political, economic and social issues made art seem a luxury. The students worked energetically in groups, choosing topics, researching and debating the issues of water, the artistic applications, the materials etc... Among of the categories discussed were: -Water in Mythology- stories of water-- in Palestinian folk culture, in poetry, folktales- the river of life… -Water and Memory- childhood- baby floating in mother's placenta... memory of a river (Jordan river)… -Water and Religion- cult of cleaning with water- significance of ablution (body and soul cleansing)- before prayers, baptism…. -Water in political struggle- control of water (the crux of the Israeli-Palestinian struggle)- water rights- pollution… - The physicality of water- The states of water, running (fluid) solid, vapor, the sound of water, reflection… The outcome was 10 different art projects. From the beginning it was known that the works could not be made in the physical space of the Wattwiller art festival – We chose to send illustrated representation of the works on CD hoping thatat least “virtually” we could cross the boundaries of occupation and partake with the organizers of the “Fete”, the artists and students in France the joy of creativity and our shared concerns. Vera Tamari assisted by May Farsakh |