Art Exhibition in Cologne City Hall to celebrate the 10^th anniversary of the twin city ship between Bethlehem and Cologne

Bethlehem and Cologne celebrated 10 years of the twin city ship by hosting a group art exhibition at the City Hall in Cologne. The exhibition was inaugurated on March 12^th. Two Bethlehem artists, Rania Andon and Johnny Andonieh traveled from Bethlehem to Cologne to represent the artists contributing to this exhibition, invited by Cologne Municipality. Bashir Qunkar, one of the artists who is currently living in Nordhausen was also present at the opening and the three were greeted by the Mayer Angela Spizig. Many German and Palestinian people had gathered to celebrate the occasion and to see the artworks.

Eighteen Bethlehem artists joined the exhibition; each one of them used a different art medium. There are stone and wood sculptures by Fawsi Nastas, wood sculptures by Adnan Zbeidi, Icons by Johnny Andonieh, pottery by Faten Neiroukh and Samaher Romi, oil paintings by Rania Andon, Ahmad Abu Hania, Zaki Baboon, Mondher Jawabre and Bashir Qunkar, Pastel and acryl paintings by Ayed Arafah, painting on silk by Gabriella Baddour, calligraphy by Jabra Mitwasi and Jacob Bolous, textile work and Video art by Faten Nastas, Video art by Larissa Sansour, Mixed media by Samar Ghattas and an installation art work created by Nadira Araj, a Bethlehem University teacher. Her work is a 6,20 meter long object with many of the UN-Resolutions for this region on the back of play cards called “UN-Conditional”.

Rania Andon gave a talk about Palestinian art and its character. “It is not by coincidence that they call the Palestinian artistic movement Art of Resistance. This character has been given to the Palestinian artistic production since 1948” she said. “The way these Bethlehem artists have expressed themselves is not only a sign of peaceful resistance, but also a way to create a relationship with their deep inner world, mixed with a desire to share their dreams and pains, hopes and heritage with those who are interested and able to understand the meaning of support and solidarity.

“Cologne was the first town in Germany, which in 1996 signed a contract with a town in Palestine. The aim was to support the peace process in the Middle East and to approach the dialog between the Palestinian, Israeli and the German people” said Heinz Erhard Cremer, chairman of the friendship Association in Cologne. “But nowadays the peace seems far away - a wall of apartheid between Israel and Palestine is growing!

“Our partnership is encircled by walls and fences,” said Fawzi Abu Ayyash, vice President in the Association. 'The wall makes a normal living and work conditions very difficult,  divides people and cuts them from social, cultural, medical and administrative aid. Bethlehem needs bridges - not walls!” he added.

The paintings and sculptures are shown in Cologne until 21st of April and will later be shown in other places in Germany.