ON THE THRESHOLD OF LAW
2022Video Installation
Tel-Aviv Museum of Art
On both sides of the threshold of the law. On the one side, ‘Elad’ NGO, which operates the City of David website, promotes the purchase of buildings and land from Palestinians, and settles in fenced buildings, equipped with high-end security cameras. And on the other side, the residents of the neighborhood are trying to survive and build their houses and their sons' houses . Families are condemned to endless legal proceedings, and sometimes even to prison terms for building without permits.
An installation featuring a split-screen video follows Ibrahim Qaraiin's family as they attempt to build another story on their existing home in Silwan. A network of forces is at work in this area - operating vertically - from the archaeological site beneath the ground to the omnipresent vision of the State of Israel.
A split-screen installation shows Ibrahim Qaraiin's attempts to obtain a building permit from Jerusalem Municipality on the left. A second screen displays a flythrough of his house and its surroundings. A religious right-wing NGO has been conducting archaeology excavations under Qaraiin's house, undermining its very foundation. This situation highlights the broader issue of political and religious tensions affecting entire communities in Jerusalem. The undermining of Qaraiin's house serves as a metaphor for the larger systemic challenges faced by residents in the area. Such actions exacerbate mistrust and conflict.