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Gendering the Palestinian Landscape
Abstract
The myths around the construction of collectivities and its origins frequently genderize the nation and tend to present it as female. This phenomenon, which can be considered as a common and transcultural feature, materializes in different representations of nations, regions, continents or feminized entities. In certain narratives about the conquest of territories and war, the myth of the "empty land" is simultaneously the myth of the "virgin land" that is passively awaiting male insemination (McClintock, 1993). Palestine is no exception to the genderized representation of the nation. Palestine has been feminized in the collective imagination and cultural and political expressions refer to Palestine as a woman. The female representation of the land as a symbol is specially meaningfull because the expulsion of territories has been one of the consequences of the Israeli occupation. The origins of the people, the land and steadfastness have been important aspects against a regime that has colonized only the land. This paper addresses the feminization of the Palestinian nation and its representation through the landscape. It will center on a selection of works of Palestinian artists from 1970 until the beginning of 1990. During the seventies, Palestinian artist had represented the Landscape and blended it with images of women, they had become a part of it and a symbol of the nation. The present paper seeks to explain how works of art become a medium to express loss, to reaffirm traditions and to shape identity through the representation of the landscape in a context of occupation and repression by Israeli military laws. In order to do the analysis, the paper will use the concepts of Mitchell (1994) to understand the visual language of art. The paper will also analyze some important symbols that appear in the works of art that also represent identity and tradition such as the olive trees and the traditional dresses. The research on this paper has led us to the following findings. First, the representation of the Palestinian landscape depicts an image that goes back to an idyllic landscape and that is related to the peasant and to a specific representation of women. In addition, it also brings into light the fact that the image created in the paintings contribute to shape Palestinian identity.
Discipline
Art/Art History
Geographic Area
Palestine
Sub Area
Gender/Women's Studies