Thinker Series: Meron Benvenisti

‘This Place’ explores the complexity of Israel and the West Bank, as place and metaphor, through the eyes of twelve internationally acclaimed photographers. Their highly individualized works combine to create not a single, monolithic vision, but rather a diverse and fragmented portrait, alive to all the rifts and paradoxes of this important and much contested space.

The project follows in the tradition of such projects as the Mission Héliographique in nineteenth-century France and the Farm Security Administration in the United States, which gathered artists who use photography to ask essential questions about culture, society and the inner lives of individuals. Initiated by photographer Frederic Brenner, the completed project consists of a traveling exhibition, companion publications and a program of live events.

The artists began their residencies in Israel with an exploratory mission, in which they traveled throughout Israel and the West Bank and met with a variety of thinkers. ‘This Place’ initiator Frederic Brenner later filmed interviews with many of these thinkers. Here are some highlights from one of the twelve interviews: Meron Benvenisti

Meron Benvenisti is an Israeli political scientist who was Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem from 1971 to 1978, during which he administered East Jerusalem and served as the city’s Chief Planning Officer. Initially trained as a historian and medievalist, he also has a Harvard doctorate in conflict management. In 1984 he founded the West Bank Database Project, documenting social, economic, and political developments in the West Bank. Since 1992 he devotes his time as a visiting lecturer, researcher and writer on Jerusalem, Northern Ireland conflict, and Israeli Palestinian relations.

In the following video, Meron Benvenisti focuses on the topic of zionism

then developing his thoughts about the concept of the Native of the land.

..and talk about redemption.

Meron Benvenisti also analyses the creation of the “New Jew”..

..to end up on the clash of nationalisms existing inside Israel.

See more on the Thinker Series (link on the bottom of the page).

Discover more of the project on this-place.org

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