Tanya Habjouqa
Occupied Pleasures
May 20–July 10, 2014
East Wing
Limestone House
DIFC
Dubai
United Arab Emirates
Curated by Lars Willumeit
More than four million people live in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, under arduous political and economic conditions with limited freedom of movement. Yet, amidst these constricting circumstances arising from a 47-year occupation, commonplace everyday pleasures of the population persevere. Occupied Pleasures, created by Tanya Habjouqa between 2011 and 2014, observes these small, but far from insignificant, moments of daily life with a sharp sense of humor, revealing a narrative which stands in stark contrast to more widely viewed reportage, focused on violence and conflict.
Recipient of a 2013 Magnum Foundation Emergency Fund Award for this project and a World Press Award in 2014, Habjouqa explains the need for this shift in vision: “The Palestinian visual narrative, as represented in western media, is often portrayed through a narrow prism. Despite the inability of Palestinians to maintain and sustain a normal way of life, and amidst this jarring reality, men, women and children often manage to steal moments of simple joys quirky, modest occasions of happiness that range from taking a spin on a merry go-around to riding horses, or imagining a tropical adventure all the while standing against a colorful backdrop with a live parakeet in a simple studio in a refugee camp.”
East Wing is an international platform for photography, presenting new perspectives on topics that matter, with a keen eye on innovative artistic expression.
For more information on this exhibition, contact Elie Domit at elie [at] east-wing.org.
