Barbara Debeuckelaere
Images and Writing by Barbara Debeuckelaere
About the Artist:
Barbara Debeuckelaere (BE) is a visual artist and photographer. Her work is caught between labels as documentary and conceptual. She concentrates on systemic thinking, capitalism, normalization, power and money and can find truth only in ambiguity. Barbara has a master in economics, international law and visual arts. She has traveled many times to the Westbank, first as a radio journalist, later for television and now as a visual artist. The fate of the Palestinian people sits close to her heart. The joint work ‘OMM’ by the women of Tel Rumeida and herself, she considers a work of love
About the Project: OMM
Tel Rumeida is one of the most complex areas in the West Bank, with an explosive mix of Palestinians, settlers and soldiers. In news items or video’s depicting actions and violence the settlers undertake towards Palestinians here, we see mostly men, submitting to the violence or fighting back. By handing the camera over to the women of 8 families of this neighborhood, to photograph their life, house and surroundings, Debeuckelaere and these women took agency of the image, the image that is painted of women's life. Since the camera of the context, of the violence, of the deadlock politics surrounding the lives of the Palestinians in Tel Rumeida, is the digital camera, Debeuckelaere also decided to choose analogue photography to be the sole medium of these women. To convey something less tangible, more ambiguous, colorful and emotional.
Because raising a family here and just staying in this incredible violent place, that is always threatening, always pregnant with imminent confrontations, and more so, by continuously creating a loving home for their children and family members, these women and girls are showing extreme strength.
Love as the ultimate act of resistance.
