This museum does not exist yet. Animated by the conviction of the power of art, since one year now, I try to draw attention of the militants for the right values, to the importance of the idea for a Palestinian contemporary art museum. During a meeting with one of the Palestinian cultural advisers in UNESCO, I’ve found out that long before me, in last years of sixties, a Palestinian called Ezeldin Khalaq had gathered an important collection of art works done by some well-known international artists and exposed them in Lebanon. During an attack, Israel had destroyed the place and Ezeldin Khalaq was assassinated in Europe. This tragic end should give us an extra reason to build a contemporary modern art museum in Palestine.
Today an important number of Palestinian artists practice their passion outside and some inside Palestine. Time has come that the inhabitants of Palestine and the other countries to observe the fruit of their passion. But I wish also a particularity for this museum to build. Taking into consideration the burden generated by oppression, tension and aggression borne by the youngsters, I wish that two halls be reserved for them. One hall destined to the children between 4 and 12 years old and the other for the teenagers. Beside the benefic effect on these fragile categories, the purity of their works will create a beautiful concord with the works of the professional artists.
I hope that this idea will be accepted, assisted and accompanied by the Palestinian authorities and other countries through UNESCO and coordinated with cultural and humanitarian organizations so that this museum be soon inaugurated.
Palestine: 60 years of occupation - Work exposed on the scene of Arab World Institute in Paris for the night of 7th December 2008: ‘60 years of Universal Declaration of the Human Rights and the Rights of people of Palestine’
The weight of injustice endured by the people of Palestine, weighs also on the conscious of the humanity. By the right actions beside this people, we diminish of this weight.
Shirine Afrouz - 2008