By Daily Press staff
The Venice Arts Gallery will present the premiere U.S. exhibit of “Passages Between the Past and Future,”an exhibition of original photography from the children of the recently recognized Bedouin village of Abu Kaf. The work has previously been shown in Israel at the Museum of Bedouin Culture, northern Negev; the Yitzhak Rabin Center, Jerusalem; the Achva College of Education; and the Beit Berl College, Tel Aviv.
The project was designed by curator Kim Frumin to empower Bedouin children to use cameras to create individual self-portraits and portraits of their communities, challenging the children to articulate their hopes and dreams and to reflect upon the strengths of their community. Their photographs are being used as educational tools, allowing Bedouin youth to better know themselves and to share their perspectives with their counterparts throughout Israel.
The images reveal the connections among tradition, community and family. Everyday moments such as mothers preparing food, sisters praying, or brothers playing in the fields, are given new importance, as the children capture and describe their unique perspectives.
The opening reception is on Saturday, Sept. 9 from 5 to 7 p.m. and the exhibit will be open through Sept. 30.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on September 1, 2006. Read the original PDF.