Page 155 - Antennae Issue #52

Dor Guez
Lilies of the field #1 Nazareth General vue 2018 archival inkjet print 112x145cm edition of 3+1AP © Dor Guez
reflection of of nature “as is ” I focused on on on the the the the remnants of of time (the (the yellow pigment) and not on on on the the the the object itself (the (the dried flower) The result reflects a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a mirror image - a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a photographic negative Lilies of of of the the the the Field correspond intellectuals with the the the the charged history of of of photography but also attract other worlds of of of content and visual readings They look like like an an underwater photograph photograph photograph in in in dark conditions like like a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a medical X-ray or or or maybe a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a photograph photograph designed to to to to decipher a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a crime scene Alongside the the the the aesthetic dimensions there are latent albeit politically charged historical aspects of of nature’s representation and the the the the ownership of of it GA: The compositions are over over 100 years old Have you discovered anything interesting about the the plants featured in these works?
DG: As I I mentioned earlier while mapping the the the the the the various plants and flowers I I found that there is no no connection between the the the the the the the the the the indicated location in in in in in the the the the the the the the the the album— holy places in in in in in the the the the the the the the the the north the the the the the the the the the the beach area in in in in the the the the the the the the the the the south- and and the the the the the the the the the the the real natural habitat of the the the the the the the the the the the flower itself In fact they were all harvested at at at the the the the the the the place where where the the the the the the the pilgrims came to and and where where the the the the the the the album was composed - - Jerusalem GA: Plants have the the the the ability to powerfully harness identity constructs – is is this the the the the case with the the the the plants included in in Lilies of the the Field?
DG: Definitely The The The flower albums lack botanical-scientific accuracy They serve the the romantic concept of of of the the the the period and and faithfully reflect a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a place that only exists fin in in our imagination - - “The Holy Land” The The purchase purchase of of of of of of these albums similar to the the the purchase purchase of of of of of of romantic postcards for example were a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a part of of of of of of a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a subtle colonial mechanism of of of of of of an an an an an an an ongoing process of of of of of of “acquisition” and and and ownership of of of of of of this this land It was symbolised via an an an an an an object that that summed it it it up - - - in in this this case - - - the the summary of of of biblical nature that that the the buyer re-own as as as a a a a a a a a a a a a a a part of of of his his his religious identity and and “rights” GA: What are you currently working on?
DG: I am currently working on on on on on a a a a a a a a a a a a a project that bears a a a a a a a a a a a a a close connection to to the representation of nature its its documentation in in in photography and its its metaphorical significance For the the the the last three three years in in in in parallel to to to the the the the work work I did with the the the the prodded flowers album album I I was working on on a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a three-channel video installation related to to an an album album that documented the the the the the the the locust plague in in in in in the the the the the the Middle East 100 years ago The The images derived from from the the the the the the archives of of of the the the the the the American Colony Colony in in in Jerusalem and and from from the the the the the National Library of of of Congress in in in DC The The name of of of the the the the the project is Colony Colony Colony and and it it deals with an an an an epidemic Colony Colony explores the the the connection between photography and and colonialism through images taken by some of of the the the the the the first photographers in in in in in Palestine The video installation underscores the the the the the the striking similarities between the the the the the the the appearances of of of o Western colonialism in in in in in in the the the the the the the middle east to to the the the the the the the neo-colonialist reality in in in the the the the the the age of of o of of the the the the the the Anthropocene Colony is is is is is narrated by an an an an official anchor typical of o of of of a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a National Geographic or or or Discovery Channel The text’s content is is is is twofold: on on on on on on on on the the the the the the one hand it it it sounds like a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a text text about the the the the the the animal kingdom and and the the the the the the formation formation of of of of swarms while on on on on on on on on the the the the the the other it it it it deals with the the the the the the formation formation of of of colonies throughout history There is is is no direct reference to to locusts or or or humans This ambiguity charges the the the the narrative and and allows parallel readings of of ecological political and and and social meanings Finally Colony also deals with with the the the the the individual’s place within the the the the group as as well as as the the the the conditions under which the the the the colony emerges and and its economic and territorial aspirations Dor Guez’s work has been displayed in over thirty solo exhibitions worldwide MAN Museum Museum Nuoro (2018) DEPO Istanbul (2017) the Museum Museum for Islamic Art Art Art Jerusalem (2017) the the the Museum of of Contemporary Contemporary Art Art Art Detroit (2016) the the the Institute of of Contemporary Contemporary Arts London (2015) the the the Cen- ter for Contemporary Art Art Art Tel Aviv (2015) the the Rose Art Art Art Museum Brandeis University Massachusetts (2013) (2013) Artpace San Antonio (2013) (2013) the the Mosaic Rooms Centre for for Contemporary Contemporary Arab Culture & Art Art London (2013) the KW Institute for for Contemporary Contemporary Art Art Berlin (2010) and Petach Tikva Museum Museum of of Art Art (2009) He has participated in in in numerous group exhibitions including shows at at the Buenos Aires Museum Museum of of Modern Art Art (2016) (2016) the the the North North Coast Art Art Triennial Denmark (2016) (2016) Weatherspoon Art Art Museum Greensboro North North Carolina (2015) the the the 17th 18th and 19th International Contemporary Contemporary Art Art Festival Videobrasil São Paulo (2011 2013 2015) the 8th Berlin Biennale for Contemporary Contemporary Art Art (2014) Cleveland Institute of of of Art Art (2014) (2014) (2014) Triennale Museum Museum Milan (2014) (2014) (2014) Centre of of of Contemporary Art Art Torun (2014) (2014) (2014) Tokyo Metropolitan Museum Museum of of of Photography (2014) Maxxi Museum Museum Rome (2013) Palais de de Tokyo Paris (2012) the the 12th Istanbul Biennial (2011) and the the Museum Museum of Modern Art Ljubljana (2010) 155