Jerusalem - Al-Ma'mal - Dora Garcia, Els Opsomer, Ria Pacquée - The Jerusalem Show

JERUSALEM - AL-MA'MAL - DORA GARCIA, ELS OPSOMER, RIA PACQUÉE - THE JERUSALEM SYNDROME
October 11 - October 20, 2009

The Jerusalem show is an annual international art and cultural event in the old city of Jerusalem.

The city of Jerusalem is characterized by the concentration of diversity and its conflicts - spiritual, political and territorial at the same time. The Jerusalem Syndrome overtakes tourists, who are overwhelmed by the unique denseness of spiritual sites in the Holy City, their history and imaginaries. Between fifty and two hundred travellers, pilgrims and
tourists, every year are affected by the syndrome, believing they are Virgin Mary or the Messiah. They are walking around the city, trying to spread the news of their palingenesis or the apocalypse - before they are taken to the state psychriatic ward.

Therefore the Jerusalem Syndrome stands for enlightenment and collapse at the same time, it is the strongest effect Jerusalem can have on the personality of a visitor. The madness and illusion of being chosen also characterizes the relations of religion and power, when the historical importance of religious sites are cited to legitimate territorial claims over the city. In this sense Jerusalem is also the nucleus of the occupation and its spatial-military pratice.

For the Jerusalem Show 2009 the metaphor of the 'Jerusalem Syndrome' is supposed to serve as an entry for individual approaches to the Old City, exploring its enclaves, wandering its labyrinths, and telling its stories histories from multiple points of view.

The exhibition is curated by Nina Möntmann and Jack Persekian

Participating artists: Jumana Emil Abboud, Mohamed Al Hawajri, Nevin Aladag, Ayreen Anastas + Rene Gabri, Tarek Atoui, Samira Badran, Taysir Batniji, Nathan Coley, Collaboration Around Micro Politics, Mumbai (CAMP), Phil Collins, Kajsa Dahlberg, Andrea Faciu, Issa Freij, Dora Garcia, Ra'oof Haj Yahya, Suheir Hammad, Sandi Hilal + Alessandro Petti + Basel Abbas + Ruanne Abou-Rahme, Mahmoud Hojeij, Maider Lopez, Ken Lum, Sliman Mansour, Olaf Nicolai, Els Opsomer, Ria Pacquée, Wael Shawky, Ala' Younis.

More information on the programme:
Al-Ma'mal - Foundation for Contemporary Art
www.almamalfoundation.org