Ode to a Local Hero: The Juice Man*
Opening: 25 May 2010, 7pm
Duration: 25 May -16 June 2010>
Beit Aneeseh [image: an]
Al Hajjal Street, Ramallah, PS
Artists:
Jonathan Grassi (USA); Larissa Sansour (Palestine); Kifah Fanni (Palestine);
Ilaria Bozzi (Italy); Youmna Chlala (USA/ Lebanon); Daniel Lachenmeier (Switzerland);
Raouf Haj Yihya (Palestine); Linda Tegg (Australia); Benedikt Partenheimer (Germany);
Daniel Tischler (Switzerland); Ben Washington (UK);Elsa Quintin (France);
Mohammad Alhaj (Palestine); Fatima Chafaa (Alegeria); Tom Bogaert (Jordan / UK);
Karin Lustenberger (Switzerland); Khaled Jarrar (Palestine); Van Thanh Rudd (Australia);
Madeleine Strindberg (UK); Djelil Mehdi (Algeria); Abu Naser Robii (Bangladesh); Louise Spira (UK)
Mirna Bamieh (Palestine)
*I said, “I am the Juice Man, You are the Juice Man.”*
The curators Juliana Irene Smith and Misbah A. Deeb open the exhibition with
a performance about curatorial practice, the artworks and the juice man.
*Ode to a Local Hero: The Juice Man *is a celebration of every human, their potential and goodness, both in Palestine and worldwide. It appreciates
those who may not get enough acknowledgment. It is an exhibition that says, ”thank you.” Contemporary art often gets caught up in the intellectualization of the subject / concept, which we also find has its place. We too love Said and Foucault. However, in Palestine, the social, personal and approachability are fundamentals in the artwork being made here and about here. It has a responsibility, but that does not mean that there is no room for play and, dare we say, “spirit.” In some small way, it is telling the oppressors, ”Look you **beep**, you have taken our land, but you will never take away our courage, greatness or our laughter. We are not going to stop fighting and we will fight by being the best people despite your effort to bring us down. Ha, ha, ha.”
The idea of the local hero is someone who is a part of his or her community and makes a conscious effort towards happiness and generosity even in the smallest gestures. It is something valuable and should be recognized. Maher is a Juice Man, a father, a healer, a caretaker and his shop is in the center of Al Manara in Ramallah. He is a symbol for all local heroes both here in Palestine and abroad.
The selection of artists comes from both personal relationships with the curators and an open call from those abroad who are interested in Palestine as a place and as a people. Some of the artists made work especially for this exhibition. The works range in mediums from photography, video stills, drawings, paintings and a calligraphy poem. They are playful, and reflective. The artworks, although using mostly traditional mediums reflect upon an interactive desire to engage a wider audience.
People have wondered why we would make this exhibition in a bar and not in a cultural center. Currently, there are no contemporary art galleries in Ramallah. We decided that we wanted the freedom to play in a space. Beit Aneeseh is owned by two filmmakers and a visual artist and attracts many types of people in Ramallah. It has an easygoing atmosphere where both locals and internationals enjoy their free time.