Knowledge Share Description
In this knowledge share we will start by discussing ‘Wild Plants of Palestine’, which follows journeys of observational tours to collect photos and information about Palestinian flora, questioning the territorial extension of what is meant by the term “Palestinian”. The video-essay stands on insignificant topographical features of the (postcolonial) landscape in the West Bank. It also addresses photography as a practice and tool of distributing and restricting information at once.
Then we will move to an ongoing research called ‘The Dog Chased its Tail to Bite it Off’ on unwanted species, mainly known as invasive species. The reading in three acts traces the history of the Japanese Knotweed plant (Fallopia Japonica), actual policies, national campaigns of combat and control, social / economic / political effects, the conflation between natural and national history, and most importantly the language (whether verbal or visual) used when talking about the plant and other invasive species. It also imagines alternative ways of living with these species via raising questions about mass production ethics, exploitative forms of economy, and a common future.
Both works will examine the political roles plants can play throughout history, beyond their aesthetic and agricultural values, exceeding the tendency of seeing them as something to be studied, looked at and researched. Plants help us understand our position in the world, showing us a way to a liveable, common future. To be followed by a performative reading of the plant's history, and a Q&A session.
We will explore:
Plants of Palestine
Impact of Israeli settlements on Palestinian people’s access to plants and movement
The history of the Japanese Knotweed as a byproduct of Dutch colonialism
Decolonising the ‘problem’ of invasiveness
Learning from invasive species, physical, body and mental benefits
Learning about ourselves as human beings through the ways we deal with invasive species and other more-than human beings around us
Xenophobic, offensive and racist language of invasion ecology
Invasive species as green future companions
Cost
$35 - low income
$50 - standard
$75 - pay-it-forward (if you have financial abundance, this is our pay-it-forward option to fund our full tuition scholarships)
The zoom link will be sent upon registration. Recording will be available for 30 days.
Please apply here for a scholarship.
FREE for Palestinian community. You can either use the scholarship form or email us at connect@herbancura.com to receive code
Accessibility Information
*ASR (automated) captioning provided
Virtual Gathering
The knowledge share zoom link will be sent out immediately upon purchase, along with any other necessary information.
3:00pm - 5:00pm Eastern Standard Time
Class will be recorded and available for 30 days.
Facilitator
Alaa Abu Asad is an artist, researcher, and photographer. Language and plants are central themes through which he develops alternative trajectories where values of (re)presentation, translation, viewing, reading, and understanding can intersect. His work takes the form of writing, film, and interactive installations, in which he visually represents his research and explores the boundaries of languages.