Contemporary art from a city at war: The case of Gaza (Palestine)
Résumé
Despite the political and economic turmoil since the beginning of the 2000's, the Gaza Strip has witnessed great vitality in its artistic scene. Most Palestinian artists actually come from Gaza, and a significant number of them have recently managed to gain international visibility. Besides the capacity of art to provide alternative visual narratives of a besieged city, art in this context is a tool that participates in construction of the city itself. This article aims to explore the interaction between art production and the backdrop of war within an urban landscape. It bears witness to the great artistic vitality of the Gazan people and moreover highlights Gaza's emerging cultural scene and the role increasingly played by the media and social networks, in contrast with the simplistic images often being conveyed. Based on both semi-structured interviews held with Gazan artists and participant observation in the local visual arts scene, this article seeks to shed light on the relationship between art and city in a context of urban crisis, through recognising Gaza's place as a Palestinian urban centre. Central to the issue of Palestinian national question and to potential breakthroughs in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Gaza is also relevant to understanding a number of challenges facing Arab and Muslim societies. Examining Gaza's art production in this specific context is crucial to comprehending how art participates in building a new city, beyond the media's narrowly stereotyped images.