Shaden blogged this yesterday. It looks like a really interesting project that highlights the situation the Palestinian diaspora finds itself in. Some of the entries thusfar begin to remind me of the Jewish mythology of Jerusalem and Israel that I learned in my youth; themes of longing, return, redemption, denial and despair over the current state.

Work started on the preparation of an exceptional book with a new concept “jerusalem in exile – tangible memories” by artist Steve Sabella. The book seeks to explore the visual images of Jerusalem in the minds of Palestinians who live in the Diaspora, as well as Palestinians who live in Palestine but are incapable of reaching their city. The project will photographically ‘materialize’ the various mental images Palestinians have of Jerusalem in their memories and imagination. These participations will be presented on the “jerusalem in exile” web site, and this art experience will be documented in a book which will be edited by poet Najwan Darwish. The book will compile various testimonies and texts on Jerusalem and other related subjects by a number of distinguished Palestinians artists, intellectuals and participants.

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