By: Sarah Ceurvorst
Today was another incredible day in Israel, packed with new sights, tastes and experiences. The portion of the day that resounded with me the most was our visit to the Umm Elfahem Art Gallery. Umm el-Fahem is the second largest Arab city in Israel and home to the passionate Said Abu Shakra. Said founded and directs the gallery as a means to take ownership of Palestinian cultural production in Israel. He found that too often, the narrative of Palestinian culture was told
and written about by people who were not ethnically Palestinian themselves, particularly Jewish Israelis. The gallery was created as a place to showcase the artistic productions, hard work ethic and sincere pride that Said and other Palestinian creatives have for their own culture. Rather than eliciting conflict, the gallery strives to facilitate dialogue between while simultaneously empowering the exhibiting artists and gallery visitors. Said’s clear message of hope for a brighter Israeli and Palestinian future could be felt throughout the walls of the galleries and studios.
