Exhibition of Palestine Posters "VISIT PALESTINE PROJECT"

Exhibition of Palestine Posters "VISIT PALESTINE PROJECT"

Since 1948, Palestine has been subjected to occupation, expulsion, and attacks by Israel. In the Gaza Strip, since 2002, the movement, goods, and lifelines of the people have been controlled by Israel through the separation wall. On the West Bank, Palestinian lands, homes, and communities have been seized through armed settlements. Following the cross-border attack by Hamas on October 7, the Israeli military's daily airstrikes and ground invasions have resulted in the deaths of over 23,000 people (including children and women as victims exceeding 10,000), with over 60,000 injured. More than two million people inside the separation wall face continuous attacks by the Israeli military, along with the destruction of social infrastructure, including water, power facilities, and hospitals, leading to ongoing exposure to famine and epidemics.

The cause of the inhumane situation faced by the people of Palestine is, before anything else, rooted in Israel's settler colonialism, apartheid, and ethnic cleansing, preceding historical and religious issues. To raise awareness of the plight of the Palestinian people and to garner support, the exhibition "VISIT PALESTINE PROJECT" will showcase original posters from the protests against the Palestine wars from the 1970s to the present. The purpose of this exhibition is to widely inform people that Israel's Zionist government has been perpetuating endless occupation and injustice against Palestine for over half a century. It aims to create a platform for citizens to discuss and take action to stop this massacre and occupation.

The venue will feature a photo exhibition on Palestine by photographer Azusa Suga, based in Fukuoka, as well as Palestinian solidarity prints (woodblock printing) by the Asian Woodcut Network, an exhibition of solidarity patches, film screenings, and talks. The goal is to learn about Palestine, say "No" to the ongoing genocide, reflect on what we can do to restore the lives and dignity of the Palestinian people, and take action.

"Why 'VISIT PALESTINE"? - Examining the Background

Lush olive trees, rows of houses, the Dome of the Rock in the Muslim holy land—these are the scenes depicted on a poster boldly proclaiming "VISIT PALESTINE." Designed by Franz Krausz in 1936 amid the Zionist movement aiming for the establishment of a Jewish state, the poster was printed by the Palestine Tourist Association, a Zionist training institution.

Between 1936 and 1948, around 200,000 Jewish immigrants settled in this land. The United Nations, entrusted with addressing the issue by the British mandate, outlined the partition of the Jewish and Arab states. However, for those who had long inhabited Palestine, it was an unilateral decision without any agreement.

Since its establishment in 1948, Israel has expanded its illegal occupation beyond the borders set by the UN. The overwhelming violence of the Israeli state, coupled with the resistance of the Palestinian people, has brought a tragic history to the land where olives grow.

Following the Oslo Accords, which stipulated the mutual recognition between the Palestinian Interim Self-Government Authority and the State of Israel, "VISIT PALESTINE" was nearly reprinted in its original form in 1995 by Israeli designer David Tartakover. Posters, including unauthorized reproductions, displayed on street corners created an atmosphere of fleeting optimism for peace. However, for those who had continuously lost their land, lives, and dignity, it served primarily as a compelling historical document proving the deceit of Zionism.

"Once, this was a desert. It was below undeveloped. There was nothing." (Former Israeli Prime Minister, Eshkol)

"There were no Palestinians. Such people never existed in the first place." (Same, Meir)

These revisionist statements about history, bathed in sunlight after 59 years on the poster, vividly contradicted the claims. "VISIT PALESTINE" thus became an expression of resistance against the State of Israel.

【About VISIT PALESTINE PROJECT】

Current activities of the VISIT PALESTINE PROJECT | Relations – A project of critique and media practice (relations-tokyo.com)

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