Emily Jacir
(im)mobility
2002
Inspired by the checkpoint question "did someone give you something to carry ?", Emily Jacir drew this project with issues of movement (the impossibility of it) and the ties of Palestinians to their homeland in mind.
To start, she asked Palestinians living outside and who are not able to come to Palestine to send her their request of what they wanted her to do when she visits Palestine. To do that, she positions herself as both an outsider and an insider, holding the "golden ticket" (as she describes her American passport) who is able to maneuver over a terrain infested with an occupation that negates the natural evolvement of things and denies connection, communication and continuity. She is able to evade both physical and psychological barriers and move 'freely' where others can't. She's able to circumvent these obstacles and connect these people to their homelands, their wishes, their dreams.
This provided some distinction between those, who have immediate/tangible requests like "pay a bill" and "bring arak" and those who have immaterial/spiritual requests like"light a candle" and "walk the streets".
She then went to the places, carried out the requests and documented them.
Al-ma'mal published number 15 of the "What's Up" giving a thorough documentation of Jacir's project.
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