Latest news with #PalestineMuseum
The Herald Scotland
18-05-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Diaspora gather for Europe's first Palestinian art museum in Edinburgh
A small collection box inside the main entrance of the non-profit, volunteer-run gallery offers a reminder: "It's not just human lives being erased in Palestine - art and culture are also targets." The date is significant: May 15 marks Nakba Day, when Palestinians commemorate the loss of their homes, lands, and sometimes lives in the creation of Israel. Read More: The United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine was adopted in 1947, splitting the land into the new Jewish state and a Palestinian one. Around 56% of what was then British Mandatory Palestine was to be allocated to Israel, despite Arabs making up two-thirds of the population and, at the time, owning roughly 90% of the land. The plan was rejected by the Palestinians and neighbouring Arab states, and its adoption led to a bloody civil war which went largely unchecked by the British. On March 10 1948 this time Haganah, the main Zionist paramilitary group, implemented Plan Dalet to establish control of key areas by expelling Palestinians and destroying their villages. Soldiers were given lists of settlements, along with a detailed description - access roads, quality of land, water springs, main sources of income, level of hostility - and its fate: destruction, occupation, or expulsion. Ilan Pappé, an Israeli historian, wrote: "The plan decided upon on 10 March 1948, and above all its systematic implementation in the following months, was a clear case of what is now known as an ethnic cleansing operation." Israel declared its independence on May 14, and the following day a coalition of neighbouring Arab states invaded. By the time of the armistice in March 1949 Israel controlled around 78% of what had been Mandatory Palestine, with more than 700,000 Palestinians forced out of their homes. They call this 'al-Nakba', the catastrophe. A short film is shown with a timeline of the fate of more than 600 Palestinian villages. Hamada Elkempt, Under Observation, 2024 (Image: Hamada Elkempt) Faisal Saleh, founder of Palestine Museum, says: "To the refugees in the room, watch for your village - mine is April 25." On the floor is a map of historic Palestine, showing the destroyed villages and the sites of close to 50 massacres. News of mass killings, such as those at Deir Yassin, greatly added to the number of Palestinians fleeing their homes. One of the refugees stands on the map, gesturing to the north and the coast of the Mediterranean sea: "They wanted control of the farming areas. The Zionist slogan was 'a land without a people for a people without a land' and this is what they tried to create." The Palestinians were overpowered, he says, with only one or two rifles per village. As for the Arab coalition, they were focused on stopping the Palestinians fighting. Jane Frere, who runs a community project which sews the names of the dead in Gaza onto banners speaks after a short film about the work. In it, the final name she places onto the banner is the husband of a woman who left for Lebanon to deliver their baby. The child's father, a doctor, was killed in Gaza. The art in the gallery, however, is altogether lighter. A landscape painting of an olive grove, kites flying in a clear blue sky, a woman in a headscarf standing in the sun-kissed sea. Nabil Anani, In Pursuit of Utopia, 2020 (Image: Ziad Anani/Zawyeh Gallery) On one wall are pictures drawn by children from Gaza, bright, crayon drawings. As Mr Saleh told The Herald: "There are not a lot of gory scenes and scenes of violence whatsoever. It's just regular, the kind of art you'd see in a typical modern art museum. We are trying to show that Palestinians are human, just like everyone else. "In general, we really are not very political." Some things are, of course, hard to ignore. When a speaker thanks Mr Saleh for his hard work in establishing the space he waves a hand and says: "Please, we are hanging out and having a good time - people are dying in Gaza." This is not an attempt to bring down the mood, but rather an example of the deep connection those of the diaspora, most wearing keffiyehs and other traditional clothing, feel to the land. Many wear keys around their necks, a symbol of the hope to return to their former homes. One of the speakers is a Palestinian woman who was forced from her village at the age of four. Speaking in Arabic, with translation by Mr Saleh, she explains: "The Arab countries told the Palestinians, 'go out and we'll take care of everything'." Her family left their home with little more than the clothes on their back - "like you see them now" - and fled to Gaza. There were no houses for them to go to. Initially there weren't even tents. That winter it snowed in Gaza. At the age of 81 she's seen every year of the conflict. She recounts praying in her home as a missile shattered the window above her, the screams of her children, the deaths of friends and family. Things now are worse than she's ever known. The diaspora, men and women, old and young, are sobbing as she tells her story. "What you see from Gaza now is only the areas where the journalists can go," she says. "And they are killing most of the journalists." The woman was able to leave on a visa to visit family in Scotland, and she thanks the nation for its hospitality and solidarity. She ends with two sentences: "May God bless you. May God never show you the things we have seen."
The Independent
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Europe's first museum of contemporary Palestinian art opens in Edinburgh
Europe's first museum of contemporary Palestinian art which aims to 'redefine the narrative around Palestinian identity, art, and resilience' has opened in Edinburgh. The Palestine Museum in Scotland features work from a range of Palestinian artists showcasing paintings, sculptures and installations. The museum, which opens in central Edinburgh on Saturday, is the first of its kind in Europe and aims to counteract the 'dehumanisation' of the Palestinian people by illustrating their culture and narrative through art. 'We wanted to be in the best location in Edinburgh, because we want people to know that as Palestinians, we are not helpless victims, we are talented people,' curator and director Faisal Saleh told the PA news agency. 'The reason we are creating this museum is to allow people to understand the truth of what's happening and we are using Palestinian art as a means to communicate the Palestinian narrative. 'We want people to see our artwork and to see that Palestinians are human. 'All these efforts to dehumanise and to erase the Palestinians are not working, and we are hereby opening a museum that is full of beautiful artwork.' The museum in Edinburgh, is the first branch of an existing museum in Woodbridge, Connecticut called the Palestine Museum US. Mr Saleh said the team had originally tried to open the museum in the building that previously held the Israeli embassy in Dublin following Israel's announcement that it would shut down. However after a lot of push back from the building's owners the team decided on Edinburgh as a location given the city's festival culture. The Palestine Museum in Scotland showcases work from both international and local Palestinian artists. It features artist Samia Halaby, who won a special mention at last year's Venice Biennale, and work by 81-year-old Nabil Anani, who is regarded as a key founder of the contemporary Palestinian art movement. Sana Farah Bishara, a Nazareth-born sculptor based in Haifa, also features, as well as recent works created in Gaza by Mohammed Alhaj and Maisara Baroud. 'We have children's drawings from Gaza that are being exhibited. 'We have embroidery pieces,' said Mr Saleh. 'We also have some installations representing the forced evacuations. 'We have a keffiyeh bundle. 'It's a bundle of memories that represents what Palestinians leave when they get kicked out of their homes.' The museum is also exhibiting work by local artists in Edinburgh including a bronze bust sculpture of Dr Hussam Abu Safiya, who has been detained by the Israeli army since December. A University of Edinburgh professor is exhibiting three smaller sculptures depicting Palestinians in Gaza mourning their dead children. 'It's a very emotional expression of pain memorialising what happened in Gaza, in sculpture and in paintings,' said Mr Saleh. Mr Saleh, a US Palestinian entrepreneur based in Connecticut, said he has been blown away by the reception he has received in Edinburgh. 'We've got some special treatment for being Palestinian so it's been a great experience so far,' he said. 'We really appreciate the Scottish hospitality.' The Palestine Museum Scotland is an independent, not-for-profit organisation and will be run by volunteers.
North Wales Chronicle
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- North Wales Chronicle
Europe's first museum of contemporary Palestinian art opens in Edinburgh
The Palestine Museum in Scotland features work from a range of Palestinian artists showcasing paintings, sculptures and installations. The museum, which opens in central Edinburgh on Saturday, is the first of its kind in Europe and aims to counteract the 'dehumanisation' of the Palestinian people by illustrating their culture and narrative through art. 'We wanted to be in the best location in Edinburgh, because we want people to know that as Palestinians, we are not helpless victims, we are talented people,' curator and director Faisal Saleh told the PA news agency. 'The reason we are creating this museum is to allow people to understand the truth of what's happening and we are using Palestinian art as a means to communicate the Palestinian narrative. 'We want people to see our artwork and to see that Palestinians are human. 'All these efforts to dehumanise and to erase the Palestinians are not working, and we are hereby opening a museum that is full of beautiful artwork.' The museum in Edinburgh, is the first branch of an existing museum in Woodbridge, Connecticut called the Palestine Museum US. Mr Saleh said the team had originally tried to open the museum in the building that previously held the Israeli embassy in Dublin following Israel's announcement that it would shut down. However after a lot of push back from the building's owners the team decided on Edinburgh as a location given the city's festival culture. The Palestine Museum in Scotland showcases work from both international and local Palestinian artists. It features artist Samia Halaby, who won a special mention at last year's Venice Biennale, and work by 81-year-old Nabil Anani, who is regarded as a key founder of the contemporary Palestinian art movement. Sana Farah Bishara, a Nazareth-born sculptor based in Haifa, also features, as well as recent works created in Gaza by Mohammed Alhaj and Maisara Baroud. 'We have children's drawings from Gaza that are being exhibited. 'We have embroidery pieces,' said Mr Saleh. 'We also have some installations representing the forced evacuations. 'We have a keffiyeh bundle. 'It's a bundle of memories that represents what Palestinians leave when they get kicked out of their homes.' The museum is also exhibiting work by local artists in Edinburgh including a bronze bust sculpture of Dr Hussam Abu Safiya, who has been detained by the Israeli army since December. A University of Edinburgh professor is exhibiting three smaller sculptures depicting Palestinians in Gaza mourning their dead children. 'It's a very emotional expression of pain memorialising what happened in Gaza, in sculpture and in paintings,' said Mr Saleh. Mr Saleh, a US Palestinian entrepreneur based in Connecticut, said he has been blown away by the reception he has received in Edinburgh. 'We've got some special treatment for being Palestinian so it's been a great experience so far,' he said. 'We really appreciate the Scottish hospitality.' The Palestine Museum Scotland is an independent, not-for-profit organisation and will be run by volunteers.
The National
17-05-2025
- Politics
- The National
Europe's first museum of Palestinian art opens in Scotland
The Palestine Museum in Scotland features work from a range of Palestinian artists showcasing paintings, sculptures and installations. The museum, which opens in central Edinburgh on Saturday, is the first of its kind in Europe and aims to counteract the 'dehumanisation' of the Palestinian people by illustrating their culture and narrative through art. 'We wanted to be in the best location in Edinburgh, because we want people to know that as Palestinians, we are not helpless victims, we are talented people,' curator and director Faisal Saleh told reporters. READ MORE: More than 70 Labour peers and MPs call on Keir Starmer to recognise Palestine 'The reason we are creating this museum is to allow people to understand the truth of what's happening and we are using Palestinian art as a means to communicate the Palestinian narrative. 'We want people to see our artwork and to see that Palestinians are human. 'All these efforts to dehumanise and to erase the Palestinians are not working, and we are hereby opening a museum that is full of beautiful artwork.' The museum in Edinburgh, is the first branch of an existing museum in Woodbridge, Connecticut called the Palestine Museum US. Saleh said the team had originally tried to open the museum in the building that previously held the Israeli embassy in Dublin following Israel's announcement that it would shut down. However after a lot of push back from the building's owners the team decided on Edinburgh as a location given the city's festival culture. (Image: Haya Kaabneh/PA Wire) The Palestine Museum in Scotland showcases work from both international and local Palestinian artists. It features artist Samia Halaby, who won a special mention at last year's Venice Biennale, and work by 81-year-old Nabil Anani, who is regarded as a key founder of the contemporary Palestinian art movement. Sana Farah Bishara, a Nazareth-born sculptor based in Haifa, also features, as well as recent works created in Gaza by Mohammed Alhaj and Maisara Baroud. 'We have children's drawings from Gaza that are being exhibited. 'We have embroidery pieces,' said Saleh. 'We also have some installations representing the forced evacuations. 'We have a keffiyeh bundle. It's a bundle of memories that represents what Palestinians leave when they get kicked out of their homes.' READ MORE: Israel-linked donor 'threatened to pull Scottish university grant' amid Gaza row The museum is also exhibiting work by local artists in Edinburgh including a bronze bust sculpture of Dr Hussam Abu Safiya, who has been detained by the Israeli army since December. A University of Edinburgh professor is exhibiting three smaller sculptures depicting Palestinians in Gaza mourning their dead children. 'It's a very emotional expression of pain memorialising what happened in Gaza, in sculpture and in paintings,' said Saleh. Saleh, a US Palestinian entrepreneur based in Connecticut, said he has been blown away by the reception he has received in Edinburgh. 'We've got some special treatment for being Palestinian so it's been a great experience so far,' he said. 'We really appreciate the Scottish hospitality.' When is the Palestine Museum in Edinburgh open? The Palestine Museum Scotland is an independent, not-for-profit organisation and will be run by volunteers. It is open daily at 13a Dundas Street, Edinburgh EH3 6QG.
South Wales Guardian
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- South Wales Guardian
Europe's first museum of contemporary Palestinian art opens in Edinburgh
The Palestine Museum in Scotland features work from a range of Palestinian artists showcasing paintings, sculptures and installations. The museum, which opens in central Edinburgh on Saturday, is the first of its kind in Europe and aims to counteract the 'dehumanisation' of the Palestinian people by illustrating their culture and narrative through art. 'We wanted to be in the best location in Edinburgh, because we want people to know that as Palestinians, we are not helpless victims, we are talented people,' curator and director Faisal Saleh told the PA news agency. 'The reason we are creating this museum is to allow people to understand the truth of what's happening and we are using Palestinian art as a means to communicate the Palestinian narrative. 'We want people to see our artwork and to see that Palestinians are human. 'All these efforts to dehumanise and to erase the Palestinians are not working, and we are hereby opening a museum that is full of beautiful artwork.' The museum in Edinburgh, is the first branch of an existing museum in Woodbridge, Connecticut called the Palestine Museum US. Mr Saleh said the team had originally tried to open the museum in the building that previously held the Israeli embassy in Dublin following Israel's announcement that it would shut down. However after a lot of push back from the building's owners the team decided on Edinburgh as a location given the city's festival culture. The Palestine Museum in Scotland showcases work from both international and local Palestinian artists. It features artist Samia Halaby, who won a special mention at last year's Venice Biennale, and work by 81-year-old Nabil Anani, who is regarded as a key founder of the contemporary Palestinian art movement. Sana Farah Bishara, a Nazareth-born sculptor based in Haifa, also features, as well as recent works created in Gaza by Mohammed Alhaj and Maisara Baroud. 'We have children's drawings from Gaza that are being exhibited. 'We have embroidery pieces,' said Mr Saleh. 'We also have some installations representing the forced evacuations. 'We have a keffiyeh bundle. 'It's a bundle of memories that represents what Palestinians leave when they get kicked out of their homes.' The museum is also exhibiting work by local artists in Edinburgh including a bronze bust sculpture of Dr Hussam Abu Safiya, who has been detained by the Israeli army since December. A University of Edinburgh professor is exhibiting three smaller sculptures depicting Palestinians in Gaza mourning their dead children. 'It's a very emotional expression of pain memorialising what happened in Gaza, in sculpture and in paintings,' said Mr Saleh. Mr Saleh, a US Palestinian entrepreneur based in Connecticut, said he has been blown away by the reception he has received in Edinburgh. 'We've got some special treatment for being Palestinian so it's been a great experience so far,' he said. 'We really appreciate the Scottish hospitality.' The Palestine Museum Scotland is an independent, not-for-profit organisation and will be run by volunteers.
