Festival of Forbidden Life

On October 30th, 2021 we begin the Festival of Forbidden Life, an ongoing celebration of life, dreams, and Al-Risan’s beauty. The festival will include works by artists who too often work under the reality that “in Palestine you make art to be demolished.” Through their art and a film that documents the project, the artists seek to answer the question: “Why do we create art that we know will be stolen, vandalized, demolished, or burned to the ground?”

About Al-Risan

Located in the heart of Palestine, Al Risan is an ancient mountain approximately 10 km northwest of Ramallah and 5 km east of Israel’s separation barrier. It is located in “Area C,” the land making up 60% of the West Bank that has been under exclusive Israeli military control since 1995. Buried within it are traces of previous cultures, and ancient Roman artifacts have been found there. For centuries, Al-Risan’s land has been privately owned by Palestinians.

Palestinian and international artists have been inspired by Al-Risan’s creative power, and in 2016 a Palestinian storyteller and a Canadian actress, photographer, and writer developed an artspace on the mountain. Together, they established trails with the intention of marking out an official hike that would integrate collaborative art pieces, audio clips, a play, and poetry.

Register here for this event