First rehearsals at Great Jones/La MaMa

Feb 15, 2012

Our process is going well. Tatyana, Miriam and Saori are very much looking forward to meeting Sari and Anas in May. In preparation, Miriam and Yoshiko will travel to Palestine for two weeks in early March. They are preparing to meet members of El-Funoun and update them on the project here in New York.

Animation with images of El-Funoun

December 19, 2011

Occupation Layer: Palestine from Robert Flynt on Vimeo.

Video animation by Hiroki Ohishi of photographs by Robert Flynt, from the collaborative installation/performance "Occupation Layer: Palestine" by Yoshiko Chuma/The School of Hard Knocks and members of the El-Funoun Dance Troupe of Ramallah. First presentation at Gallery Onetwentyeight, NYC, in December 2011.

More photos of "Documentation #1 -gallery onetwentyeight"

Photo by Hugh Burckhardt

Photo by Hugh Burckhardt

6 Seconds in Ramallah was affected both artistically and pragmatically by the “breaking news” from Egypt and Japan last spring. Due to political events in Middle East, our planned performance tour to Syria and Lebanon was restricted. The project subsequently shifted its focus from a broader interaction with the Middle East to a more in-depth relationship with Palestine.

-Yoshiko Chuma

Photo by Hugh Burckhardt

Photo by Hugh Burckhardt

-In the past they used to build population centers-- those for protection were built on a mountain, and those for agriculture were built in the valley because of the soil and the water. That’s why you don’t find villages around Amman. Before ’96 they didn’t mind if you visited. You could go.

-You mean before Intifada?

Conversation with Khaled Qatamesh, Director of El-Funoun

Interview by Carlos Gomez

Photo by Hugh Burckhardt

Performance & Installation Photos

all photos by Hugh Burckhardt

Photo by Hugh Burckhardt

Photo by Hugh Burckhardt

Photo by Hugh Burckhardt

Photo by Hugh Burckhardt

Photo by Hugh Burckhardt

Image by Robert Flynt. Photo by Hugh Burckhardt

On safety...

Photo by Robert Flynt

Yoshiko (on life outside of "6 Seconds" rehearsal):

Because everyone has to get home on their own

At night in Ramallah the atmosphere is ominous

Last time they told Sizzle and I

That walking around late at night was safe

They said that, remember?

So on the one hand you have that safety,

But then Noora is scared to drive alone at night

I have no idea what kind of arrangements they make to get home.

We’ve been up since 5 this morning

Noora is substituting for me in some rehearsals

She is incredible

So if she goes to the night club to let off some steam

That’s up to her

On Collaborating with El-Funoun

Khaled:

In El Funoun we look for spaces for happiness. But reality is not exactly happy. There are some moments of joy But the daily life of Palestinians is 80% tragedy and 20% joy. with Yoshiko we felt there was enough chemistry to produce a collaborative art production after three of our members had participated in projects with Yoshiko in Jordan. In our discussions we felt that we had joint artistic, cultural and even political visions. So we felt that we could collaborate on this production. Noora told me that you only see the production on the last day... To me she is a very mysterious person. I think it will be great because she is very creative.

Interview by Carlos Gomez

More Interview Transcripts...

Yoshiko Chuma:

“One week ago Noora told me that her mother was going to drive us somewhere. Then it didn’t happen and Noora apologized. It turned out her mother’s co-worker had been arrested. I asked Noora, ‘how come?’ For us it’s normal to ask this, but for them it’s normal not to ask. That’s a big difference. They don’t ask themselves why. It’s been like this for a long time…

...My sister, brother, and mother all died within a time-span of 18 months. ‘6 Seconds in Ramallah’ was created in the wake of these deaths.”

Photo by Robert Flynt