Sabella’s project Jerusalem in exile (JIE) argues that not only human beings are forced to live in exile, but cities can also live in forced irrevocable exile. Consequently, the notion that we all belong to a certain space is shattered. For Sabella, this also explained his state of mind of feeling out of place in his city of birth Jerusalem. According to him, all those who live in exiled cities are living in exile. Jerusalem in Exile also explored the mental images of Palestinian exiles. Originally the project intended to transform these mental images to photographic ones. In 2007, a documentary film explored JIE, and in one part of the film Sabella speaks in front of an occupied Palestinian home from 1948 in the former Arab neighborhood Talbiya in Jerusalem. He expressed that if he would manage to enter one of the occupied Palestinian homes and create the mental images from within the space, the produced image would be more authentic, coded and charged.

WATCH VIDEO CLIPS from the 2007 film (copyrighted material). Produced by Eyes Infinite Films ©. Contact creators for more details.

End of summer 2009, Sabella decided to go back to Jerusalem after a two year absence living in London. Looking for a place to stay in Jerusalem, paradoxically, he ended up living for 38 days in one of the Palestinian homes occupied by Israel in 1948. At the same time, ironically his house in London was sublet to an Israeli family from Jerusalem.  It was inevitable that Sabella creates an artwork about this charged and unexpected turn of events.

Entering the house with discomfort and uneasiness, and the suspecting landlord of Sabella’s origin form the new artwork which Sabella has as a working title of 38 days of Re-Collection.

Similar to the style of Sabella’s art, this artwork might come across as aesthetically pleasing, yet, it is through this attraction that Sabella manages to entice spectators to explore deeper meanings of origins, memory and exile.

Interested galleries and curators can contact the artist directly for more details on his intended installation. Below are two images Sabella has taken in the house.

art@stevesabella.com

View of the young girl's shelved cupboard in 2009

View of a cupboard that may date back to its original owners before 1948.