My interest in the Middle East goes back to my visit to Egypt in l980. This trip still resonates within me: the grandeur of the desert, the spectacular ancient monuments, the Arabic language, the markets and the people. I have lived in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, part-time for many years. My neighbors are from Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Palestine and Yemen. I became involved with the Arab American Association of New York and interviewed women members about their country of origin and experiences living in the US.
My latest series emerged from my concern and empathy for the Palestinian and Israeli conflict. The situation is complicated politically and personally. I am Jewish with family members who died in the Holocaust. My compassion for the Palestinian people and their circumstances prompted this series. Here Palestinian women are shown as courageous, sometimes defiant in the face of stoic Israeli soldiers. The work celebrates Palestinian women in their struggle for justice — their resistance and resilience. This series depicts the Palestinian response to the conflict.
Combatants for Peace is a new group composed of former Israeli soldiers and Palestinian fighters. They joined together in dialogue and protest, and work towards creating a peaceful solution for this conflict
I hope that this series invites the viewer into a world that provides answers but also engenders thoughtful discussion.
Rochelle Shicoff is a Fulbright nominee, and the recipient of the Rome Prize Fellowship in Painting. She is currently a member of Gallery A-3 in Amherst, MA. Her public art works can be viewed in New York City, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts and Mexico. Notable commissions include: Seeing the Wind — to be installed at the Mount Vernon Children’s Library in New York, and The Open Sky — Commissioned by Public Art for Public Schools of the NYC Department of Education, and located at Sunset Park High School in Brooklyn. You can find more of her work online.
