Thinker Series: Ruth Gaviszon

‘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: Ruth Gaviszon

Dr Ruth Gaviszon is an Israeli law professor at the Hebrew University. Her areas of research include ethnic conflict, the protection of minorities, human rights, political theory, judiciary law, religion and politics, and Israel as a Jewish and democratic state.

In the following video Ruth Gaviszon gives us a fascinating perspective on the foundation of the state of Israel.

Discover more of the project on this-place.org

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