Faces completely camouflaged by keffiyehs, these black and white checkered fabrics, symbols of Palestinian nationalism. Then, right next to it, those same faces, this time uncovered, revealing a name, a story. A juxtaposition and an intention, that of “give life to the confinement of the countryside, make people feel the disconnection, the distance with the world”explains Rima Hassan, 32, who will exhibit the portraits of six Palestinian refugees in Tunis from October 9 to November 9, on the occasion of the Jaou festival, the contemporary art biennial financed by the Tunisian Man’s Foundation. Swiss Affairs Kamel Lazaar.
A first for the Franco-Palestinian activist and MEP La France insoumise (LFI), which presents the artistic aspect of Nakba survivorhis long-term project aimed “make Palestinian refugees visible”These descendants of the Nakba, the 1948 exodus that forced Palestinians to abandon their lands to settle in camps in Syria, Lebanon or Jordan, at the time of the birth of Israel. After viewing the portraits, visitors will immerse themselves in the atmosphere of these camps thanks to video clips filmed on site. Finally, a mosaic of photographs taken by the inhabitants themselves will show a rawer and more unaestheticized side of the daily life of these stateless people with a unique status in the world.
In Tunisia, the MEP, who became known in France by becoming the main figure of the LFI’s European campaign, focused on the Gaza war, arrives in conquered territory. The Palestinian cause has a consensus throughout the political class, to the point that the Tunisian Parliament almost voted, in November 2023, a law that criminalizes any relationship with Israel. The head of state, Kaïs Saïed, has always claimed his anti-Zionism, which has been joined by a large part of the youth, who has called for a boycott of brands or products linked to the Jewish State.
In France, the young woman had multiplied her divisive positions, describing, for example, Israel as “nameless monstrosity”end of may. “Outside of Western hegemonic thought, no one considers October 7 an act of terrorism”he wrote in August on the social network X, causing outrage even in the ranks of the New Popular Front.
political project
Rima Hassan claims a mainly artistic project. He is also eminently political. She wanted, she says, to experience a “another way to embrace activist activity” to publicize this cause that she has supported for a long time. “These 5.8 million refugees are a component of the Palestinian people. However, no one talks about their story, their daily life in the fields, their hopes. “There are five generations waiting for a political solution”is justified. She herself grew up in the Nayrab countryside in Syria before emigrating to France with her mother at the age of 10.
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