40 to 67/ActiveStills

Over the last year, we, the members of the ActiveStills photo collective have collected photos for an exhibit which is to be shown from mid May 2007. The show will relate to the "victory" of the six-day war as it is perceived by the Israel public. The exhibit will concentrate on the four of the cities occupied by Israel- Hebron, Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Gaza and intends to show the reality of 40 years on.

The territories occupied in 1967 multiplied Israel's area threefold and was seen as the greatest success Israel could hope for. Is it truly a victory?  Who are those who still pay the price for it?  As victory celebrations are held in Israel the only narrative is that of the greatness and heroism of the state, while in fact settlements continue to expand on Palestinian land whose owners have been expelled. Millions of people live in a reality of imprisonment, oppression, dispossession, humiliation and denial of basic human rights. That reality is a mirror to Israeli society, an image it refuses to see. Those are the achievements of the war.

Activestills collective was established in 2005 by a few documentary stills photographers, through a strong conviction of photography's power to create change through awareness. The basis for cooperation was derived from the belief that mutual work would serve each photographer's personal statement, and out of the understanding that combined works could create shared statements that are more powerful.  The Activestills collective operates in Israel and Palestine and focuses on social and political documentation: project production, publications, and street exhibitions, all dealing with issues that the public isn't usually exposed to as a part of it's daily informative routine, as dictated by the established media. The use of public spaces as a platform for presenting their works is derived from the need for communication with the surroundings, and from the desire to influence the street, where the power to make real social changes exists.
In addition, the group also documents the activities and protest of organizations and movements in Israel and Palestine, as a part of the joint struggle against the occupation.


The exhibit, which was assembled from the works of Israeli, Palestinian and International photographers is being displayed in cities in Israel and  Palestine as well as in Europe and the United States.

The photographer are: Anne Paq, Keren Manor, Mohammed Abed, Nir Landau, Nayef Hashlamoun, Oren Ziv, Tess Scheflan, Wissam Nassar, Yotam Ronen.

Thanks to all those who have helped the exhibition get to the streets.

Activestills.org