The Water Keepers

2021
Jumana Emil Abboud, The Water Keepers, 2021. single-channel video (color, sound). 5 min 39 sec. Realized with the support of Sakiya art/science/agriculture; Documenta 15. Courtesy of the artist. The 13th Seoul Mediacity pre-Biennale STATION - IMAGE COMMUNITY. SeMA Bunker. 2024

This video documents a workshop focusing on vulnerable livelihoods near seven water sources at risk of disappearing on Abu al-Adham Hill in Ein Qiniya village, located in the West Bank, Palestine. The artist conducted a 120-minute live performance titled Water Diviners, which included walking, live drawing, storytelling, exchanging words and participatory action with the Palestinian community. The space between begins with a collective walk through the valley from Ein al -Balad towards Sakiya while verbalizing the deep observations and experiences of the freshwater springs and Anthropology of the Eye encompasses a story and a drawing based on objects collected from nature, all of which are presented as methods of translating the relationship between people and water/nature. The artist, who has long collected folk tales and used diverse media to develop storytelling about memory, loss and belonging, explores new possibilities in storytelling through collaborative and interactive performance.

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The screen is worth protecting. Or create the value of protecting the screen.