Steve Tamari
Space, Freedom of Movement and Israel’s “Separation Barrier”: An Interactive
Installation and Performance
Ours is a world divided by national boundaries which determine access to land, water,
and airspace. International law strives to balance political sovereignty with individual
freedoms. The Israeli occupation of Palestinian land denies Palestinians their rights
related to space
This project involves students, faculty, and staff in a demonstration of Israeli restrictions
on Palestinians. We propose installing a recreation of the “Separation Barrier”, which
winds through the West Bank, on the Quad. Our construction will be staffed by university
volunteers including members of Dr. DeGarmo’s “Politics of Occupation” class. We will
also operate mock “flying checkpoints” to dramatize other aspects of restrictions on
movement.
This project aims to dramatize a signal example of the violation of human rights in
relation to access to land, water, air, in a word, SPACE, and to galvanize members of the
university community around one of the most critical conflicts of our time.