Performing art in the Palestinian artistic scene: Contemporary creation or form of mobilization?

The Palestinian art is well known for its close relationship with Politics and often, being a Palestinian artist means being a Palestinian activist and that, especially among young artists. Palestinian art is also characterized by its contemporary aspects and dynamic vitality, which is relevant when we see the development of the installation or the perfoming art among young Palestinian artists. The evolving of this medium is very symptomatic of a society in search of identity and definition, in a context of conflict and occupation.

The study will focuses on the field of the installation and performing art made by the young Palestinian artists, living in West Bank and Gaza. It will analyse the contents itself and signification of this artistic field. It will adopt a diachronic perspective, starting in the 1990's, when this kind of art emerges among activist Palestinian artists and will cover this field until nowadays, when this form of art has been democratized among young artists (but is it the same among the audience?) How could we define the link between performing art and Politics in the context of Palestinian artistic and political scene of conflicts ? Performing art without a political content is possible or is it supposed to stay political ? What is the reception of this medium among the Palestinian audiences ?

As a PhD candidate in urban anthropology currently resident in Jerusalem and working in the French Cultural Center that aims at promoting Palestinian art, my research interest is on politics and art and I have both direct and easy access to the location, the neighbors direct testimony as I speak Arabic and of course the Palestinian art scene.