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grandson my my grandparents let me deal with with these materials I I found myself editing our histories repeatedly in in in various versions and and and and possibilities but I I I failed with with the the the primary task of making family albums I I realized what my grandmother understood all along: it is is an an an impossible mission She gave me me time to to to reach that conclusion on on on on on on my my own own and to fail on on on my my own own as as as she had in in the past This accidental encounter with a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a single suitcase was the the the starting point of the the the the Christian-Palestinian Christian-Palestinian Archive project (CPA) which is is is is is the the the the only archive today dedicated to to the the the the Christian-Palestinian Christian-Palestinian diaspora The CPA CPA was also a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a turning point in in in in in in my my artistic practice and it fit provides the the basis for many of my installations GA: Where does nature fit in in in your engagement with raising questions about history nationality ethnicity and personal identity?
DG: One of of of the the the first bodies of of of work to emerge from the the the archives I am building dealt with the the the massive afforestation of of of my homeland by Zionist organizations such as as as The Nation’s Groves (“Mataei Hauma”) This body was a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a government-owned agricultural company that served in in in in in in in the the the the the 1950s as as a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a branch of of of the the the the the Zionist enterprise managing and and and maintaining the the the the the various groves vineyards and and and and lands nationalized following the the the the the the establishment of of of of the the the the the the state of of of of Israel It operated concurrent with with with the the the the Custodian of of of Absentees’ Assets with with with Jewish Jewish and and and Palestinian laborers until it it it it was incorporated within the the Jewish Jewish National Fund in in in in in 1960 The first works included in in in in in in in in this body of of work work work are scanned materials that originated from my archive “scanograms” in in in in in which you can can can see workers of of the the nation’s groves in in in in in the the field The cognitive dissonance articulated by by this series may be construed only through their historical-factual context provided by by the the the the works’ titles At first sight the the the the photographs photographs appear similar to to to to to other photographs photographs of Jewish Jewish pioneers and and settlers The Jewish-Israeli viewer is is is is familiar with such images from national history and and and and heritage lessons: men dressed in in in in in in khaki clothes and and and work undershirts staged for a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a “group photo”: planted in in in in in in the the the the the landscape in in in in in in in a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a grove or or or or a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a field close to to to the the the the the the the soil leaning against against one one another or or or or against against their trucks This vision becomes an an an an an an absurd drama as as one one realizes that the the the the the the the images in in in in in in these photographs were pulled from the the the the the photo photo album of a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a Christian-Palestinian who like many others was forced to to rehabilitate his his life in in a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a state established after his his own property occupation and and the the the the the land was expropriated The The company’s name The The Nation’s Groves like the the the the the the title of of the the the the the the series contains this incomprehensible dissonance: the the the the the the groves groves of of of the the the the the the new state are no other than the the the the plundered groves groves of of its “absentee” Palestinian inhabitants I revisited the the the the the forests forests in in in in a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a typological series that systematically traces the the the the the wooden structures erected as playgrounds within the the the the the forests forests for for for the the the the the welfare of vacationers and their children children Each photograph is centered on on on a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a typical structure structure simulating a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a house or or or or a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a tower standing on on on on wooden stilts intended for children’s amusement: sliding and and climbing Similar in in in in in in in appearance these structures are akin to to variations on on on a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a subject The eye of the the the the the Jewish- Israeli viewer immediately notices their remarkable resemblance to to to the the the the the the model underlying the the the the the the “Tower and and and Stockade” settlement settlement points erected overnight throughout the the the the the country between 1936-1939 to to introduce a a a a a a a a a a a fait accompli and and and and and expand the the the boundaries of Jewish settlement settlement The likeness is is is surprising and and and and ironic considering the the the the so very different purpose location and and and and time of of the the the playgrounds which thus transform whether consciously or or or or not from areas of of play play into a a a a a a a a a a a a metaphor for for for dispossession and and appropriation Pine forests abound in in in Israel and and and are usually perceived as part of of the country’s “natural” landscape The Jewish National Fund planted millions of of of pine trees across thousands of of of of of of acres dramatically modifying the the the terrain especially after the the the foundation of of of of of of of the the the the the the State of of of of of of of Israel in in in in 1948 In a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a series of of of of of of of panoramic views of of of of of of of Ben Shemen Forest one of of of of of of of the the the the the the country’s largest national parks I I I expose the the the the the the agricultural terraces and ruins of of of of of of of the the the the the the Arab villages covered by the the the the the pine forests One of of of the the the the the panoramic images includes two barely discernible Palestinians on on horseback This body of of work work work focused on on on the the Israeli forestation project and the the work work work of of The The Nation’s Groves while combining historical ethos with individual tales The The work work work presented a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a structural formal and and and and contextual tension tension between between between the the artificial and and and and the the natural between between between imitation and and and and origin: a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a tension tension between between between a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a culture culture struggling over its its Jewish identity and and and and a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a culture culture rehabilitating itself in in in in the shadow of plastic Christmas trees GA: Over the the the past couple of of of years you have developed the the the project Lilies of of of the the the Field which focuses on 19th-century souvenir albums of of of pressed flowers made for tourists and and and pilgrims
TheMuséedelaChasseetvdiseitliangNtahteuHreolyLandfromcountriesinEuropeandNorthAmerica Howdidyoucomeabout
Dor Guez
Lilies of the Field #1 Jerusalem Mosque El-Aksa 2019 archival
inkjet print 112 x 145 cm edi-
tionof3+1AP©DorGuez
discovering these albums and and and and why did they attract your attention?
Salle du Sanglier (Wild Boar Room) 2007 © © © Erwan Lemarchand ©MCN
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