Seven weeks spent in Israel challenged photographer Jonathon Sharlin's assumptions about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and inspired him to relay the reality of this tragedy to other Americans. He does so through "Letters from the Middle East," a moving installation on display in the Artspace Gallery in Newcomb Hall until November 26.
The installation consists of 20 large-scale portraits of Israelis and Palestinians. The simple black and white photographs hang in two rows, creating two distinct ethnic groups, facing each other from opposite sides of the room. Yet at the same time, the images are printed on transparent film, causing Palestinians and Israelis to blend into a common mass of humanity.
As he traveled through Israel, Sharlin came to conclude that his original, pro-Israeli assumptions about the region's problems were overly simplistic and rested on stereotypes. Speaking to and photographing people on both sides of the conflict, as well as many who opposed violence, made him realize that, "Catch phrases such as 'land for peace,' 'terrorism vs. security' were simple reductions of a complex situation in which there are few true villains and many innocent victims." He recorded the comments of the people he met, and this recording is a powerful accompaniment to his photos. The audio plays continuously, and the stories and thoughts it relates go far beyond the vague understanding that most Americans have of the conflict:
"One day in 1989, the Israelis shot my 14-year-old son."
"The truth of myself is that I was born a Palestinian, I am still a Palestinian and shall remain one forever. No one can dictate any other identity to myself."
"I will not carry a weapon and will not serve in the army."
"As long as people see the attacker with understanding (and when did the world not attack the Jew after all?) there is no hope for the attacked."
"My son had to go to the United States to discover there were good Jews. After that I decided to become more active in building bridges of friendship between the Palestinians and Israelis."
"The PA [Palestinian Authority] is not doing what it is supposed to do, they are not doing anything for the people."
"Jews, do not look away. There is a black stain on our national conscience and it is growing."
"I am waiting for real peace or the messiah. I wonder which will come first."
The work's greatest strength lies in Sharlin's decision to let his subjects speak for themselves, rather than interposing his own voice to interpret their experiences, prejudices and sufferings. "Letters from the Middle East" cannot fail to provoke thought, and, in some cases, even prayer.
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