A Manifesto Declaring Palestinian Refugees in Lebanon as a Art Community Until Proven Otherwise

Overview

More than three hundred thousand refugees live in camps under dire conditions, and have been waiting for longer than sixty-two years, to go back to Palestine, deprived of civil rights, the right to move freely, seek higher education, and own property, to cite a few examples.

This art community made up of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon (JAMAL) is a voluntary, non-regional, non-governmental, non-political and non-partisan association, neither aims to make profit nor loss, and is totally independent. It was established in 2010 by a group of artists and activists in the fields of culture, life and refugee issues, with the aim of extending being in the world as an artist to the realms of human rights for refugees.

Four Palestinian refugees from Lebanon will attend the biennial in Sharjah as visitors only.

This manifesto will not be published as paid advertisement, in the Lebanese daily as-
Safir and Palestinian daily al-Quds on Wednesday 16/3/2011.

Article 25 from the Lebanese Law pertaining to entry into, residence in, and exit from Lebanon, states: '[a] foreigner, other than an artist, is prohibited from carrying on in Lebanon any work or occupation unless permitted to do so by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs under the valid laws and regulations.

Article 13 identifies the artist as any individual that engages in an artistic exhibition in places where alcoholic beverages are served, and the exhibition is accompanied by music, where food might or might not be served'.


April 2011

This project was part of Sharjah Biennial 10

Commissioned by Sharjah Art Foundation