Artists:

Kamal Boullata, Samia Halaby, Sophie Halaby, Jumana Husseni, Sliman Mansour, Taysir Sharaf, Vera Tamari, Vladimir Tamari, and Daoud Zalatimo

Curators:

Vera Tamari and Tina Sherwell

Partners:

Arab Fund for Arts and Culture; al Hoash in cooperation with the Ethnographic and Art Museum at Birzeit University and International Academy of Arts-Palestine

Description:

An exhibition to celebrate Jerusalem as the Capital of Arab Culture 2009, “Jerusalem: A Lexicon of Colours” shows eight pioneering Palestinian artists using various themes, styles, and mediums. Daoud Zalatimo was fascinated with the decorative patterns of Al Haram al Sharif and Islamic history and architecture.  Sophie Halaby painted the surrounding landscape of the city and her intimate relationship to the land. Vladimir Tamari used abstraction and colour to image the everyday life and diversity of the city.  For Kamal Boullata the city is abstraction inspired by colours found in the tile work of its holy sites.  In exile, Jerusalem becomes a focal point for Samia Halaby who uses colour as a language for describing the relationship to the city. Jumana Husseni also painted Jerusalem while living beyond its borders, fashioning a dream-like city contoured by memories.  Vera Tamari’s work also deals with memory, and re-examines the relationship with the city. Memories and aspirations are represented in the work of Taysir Sharaf and Sliman Mansour, who were influential in shaping an image of the city in the 70s and 80s that embodies Palestinian identity.