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“… it can only be here….”

Printmaker: Nammari, Leena Rustom, RSA · b. 1970

“… it can only be here….”

The artist provided the following background notes to explain her thinking behind the work; "A rundown village square. It could be anywhere, but it…

The artist provided the following background notes to explain her thinking behind the work;

"A rundown village square. It could be anywhere, but it is there. It is here.
A view I watched, observed and photographed for years. Ein Qinya village, on the outskirts of Ramallah: “The spring of the Eucalyptus”village.
A green valley in the summer months, as by its name (Ein), it has a small spring.
But the village is struggling to cling on. It cannot expand, the buildings cannot be renovated, or preserved, as its in Area C, under Israeli control. Any new building can be demolished. No permits are passed or allowed by the military authorities, so the village crumbles.
And I take its portrait every now and again, and tell its story, hoping it won’t be the last.

This diptych has been printed on calico cotton, not a traditional printing etching material. But I needed it to reflect a little of what the image depicts. As with most hangings/ tapestries, a hanging can be rolled up, taken away, transported elsewhere, and take up little room and carries little weight.

In the tradition of the fear of sudden moves, due to war, poverty, drought, famine or earthquakes, this piece will withstand the assaults of time. It can be washed dried and hung back up.

The embroideries on the edges are the motif for an olive branch, the ubiquitous symbol for hope and for peace. The joining stitch holding the cloth strips together is a traditional Palestinian stitch used on embroidered dresses. When parts of the dress are worn away, the stitch is unpicked and a new panel placed.

In its quiet way, this piece of work can depict the Palestinian narrative. Water tanks upended, in a valley with supposedly plentiful water, it suffers of drought, due to the assaults of the settler community on the adjacent hill. The spring is drying up from over use by the settlers, watering their lawns. The Eucalyptus (Qinya) trees are wilting. There still is hope as there is always hope, there has to be hope, in the land of springs, eucalyptus and olive.

This was specially made for the diploma, it has not been shown anywhere and there is only one copy."