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| Bethlehem's Manger Square 2023 https://tariqsalsa.info/the-holy-family-the-first-palestinian-refugee-family/ |
This idea portrays the suffering of the Holy Family, the first Palestinian refugee family that also suffered from oppression, rejection, and displacement, and was exposed to the first historical “Nakba” when they fled to Egypt after the birth of Jesus Christ.
In this work, all historical Christmas figures were costumed to depict the human scene with feelings and messages that would not be able to express the massive destruction and systematic genocide against the Palestinian people by colonialism and all its allies throughout the ages and different time periods.
The appearance of Virgin Mary this time is embracing Christ in a way similar to the way mothers of martyrs do, while Joseph is embracing her for consolation despite of grief and sorrow…
The angels hanging around the rubble are the souls of Palestinian children, martyrs of repeated massacres throughout history, starting with the killing of the children of Bethlehem city by Herod at the birth of Jesus Christ, passing through all the historical massacres by all colonial parties against the Palestinian people and their ancestors, all the way to the occupation’s massacres nowadays against Palestinians in Gaza.
As for the Magi, this year he will not carry gold, frankincense, or myrrh, but rather a white grave clothes. The shepherd was forced to evacuate the cave and walk away, carrying in his hand a bundle “bugja” of the Palestinian Exodus.
This completely destroyed house mimics the shape of the familiar grotto of Christ. As for the roof, whose area from an overhead view embodies the shape of the geographical map of Gaza, it was bombed this time, and the explosion of its roof carved the shape of a star to emit light inspired by the star of the nativity scene… an emanating light…
A message of great hope accompanied by this light of the Christmas star despite the great sadness and despite the ugly occupation…
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