SETTING THE SPOT LIGHT ON SHATANA: ARTISTS GETTING INVOLVED WITH SHATANA AS A VILLAGE & ITS PEOPLE…

1. INTRODUCTIONTO THOSE KNOWLADGEBLE OF VILLAGES

IN THE NORTH OF JORDAN, SHATANA IS THAT SMALL PICTURESQUE, PEACEFUL VILLAGE, WITH A POPULATION OF 150, WEST OF AL-HOSON, SET IN HISTORIC STONE HOUSES AND CHURCHES, SURROUNDED BY OLIVE GROVES.

“SHATANA IS A SMALL SETTLEMENT IN JORDAN THAT SEEMS TO BE ISOLATED FROM THE WORLD, IN THIS PLACE I WAS HAPPY LEARNING TO WORK WITH THE WIND.” LUCAS DI PASCUALE – ARGENTINE

IN 2007, AN INTERNATIONAL ARTIST WORKSHOP WAS INITIATED THERE, BY VISUAL ARTISTS ORAIB TOUKAN, SAMAH HIJAWI, DIALA KHASAWNIH IN COLLABORATION WITH OLA KHALIDI. THE WORKSHOP IS PART OF THE TRIANGLE ARTS TRUST WEB OF WORKSHOPS AND FOLLOWS THE MODEL WHICH WAS STARTED IN 1982 AS ARTIST LEAD WORKSHOPS. THE WORKSHOP INVITES MID-CAREER ARTISTS TO SPEND TWO WEEKS IN THE VILLAGE ENCOURAGING EXCHANGE AND EXPERIMENTATION; IT IS PROCESS ORIENTED AND SITE SPECIFIC WORK WITH A FOCUS ON CONTEMPORARY FORMS THAT REACT TO THE EXPERIENCE. THE WORKSHOP ENDS WITH AN OPEN DAY INVITING THE PUBLIC TO MEET THE ARTISTS, SEE THE WORKS IN PROGRESS SPREAD IN THE VILLAGE AND TO CELEBRATE THE EXPERIENCE.

“WHEN YOU GO TO SHATANA, ALL YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE. YOU WILL LIVE IN A BEAUTIFUL WORLD. I SPENT MY FIRST FEW DAYS TALKING TO OTHERS ABOUT ART AND LOVE.” “WE WERE LIKE AN HONEST ARTS UNITED NATIONS WORKING TOWARDS A BEAUTIFUL WORLD. SHATANA, I WILL NEVER FORGET YOUR BEAUTIFUL SUMMER NIGHTS, SO WINDY AND COLD. AND I WILL NEVER FORGET THE GOODBYE

TEARS AND THE KISSES.” MUSTAFA ALYOUSEF – JORDAN

WE CONSEQUENTLY BECAME INTERESTED IN SHATANA AS A SITE FOR OUR FINAL YEAR PROJECT, AFTER MANY DISCUSSIONS WITH VARIOUS GROUP MEMBERS, WONDERING WHY THE TRIANGLE ARTS TRUST WEB & THE LOCAL INITIATING ARTISTS LOCATED SHATANA & CHOSE IT AS THE SITE FOR THEIR ANNUAL ARTS WORKSHOP. IN THIS PAPER, THEREFORE WE AIM TO JUSTIFY OUR DECISION IN CHOOSING THIS SITE FOR OUR FYP1. DISCUSSING ITS NATURAL-PHYSICAL, TECHNO-PHYSICAL & SOCIO-CULTURAL DESIGN ENVIRONMENTS.

OUR LOCATION JUSTIFYING QUESTION ASKS: WHAT ARE THE ELEMENTS IN SHATANA THAT PROVIDE THAT SENSE OF IDENTITY AS WELL AS A QUALITY OF LIFE NOT FOUND IN OTHER VILLAGES OR SETTINGS IN JORDAN. WE TRIED TO EXTRACT AS MUCH DATA FROM SHATANA & USE IT TO JUSTIFY THE LOCATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL ARTS WORKSHOP & OUR FYP.

2. CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS 2.1. NATURAL-PHYSICAL

SHATANA IS AN EXPANSIVE HILLY AREA, REPRESENTING A SENSITIVE ENVIRONMENT OF RURAL JORDAN WHERE A SPECIAL MIX OF LAND USE IS IN EFFECT. AGRICULTURE BASED ON RAIN FALL COEXISTS WITH SEMI-NOMADIC HERDING IN A PRODUCTIVE AND TERRAIN-CONSCIOUS RELATIONSHIP.

“THE NATURE IN SHATANA VILLAGE WAS VERY COLORLESS, DRY AND HOT, VERY DIFFERENT FROM MY HOME. THROUGH THE ENVIRONMENT WHERE THE WORKSHOP TOOK PLACE, I WAS TRYING TO

1 FYP: FINAL YEAR PROJECT

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UNDERSTAND THE SITUATION AND LIFE IN JORDAN.” MD. ABU NASER ROBII - BANGLADESH

WELL KNOWN FOR ITS RICH VEGITATION; IT'S OLIVE TREE GROVES THAT SHAPE THE LANDSCAPE OF THE VILLAGE; IT'S OAK, PINE, FIG, POMEGRANATE & PISTACHIO TREES FORMING THE MAIN LOCAL SOURCE FOR LIVELIHOOD IN THE VILLAGE, WITH VARIOUS EXISTING LOCAL GRAPE VINES, BARLEY & WHEAT PLANTINGS.

CONCERNING THE LIVESTOCK IN SHATANA, OR EVEN THE WHOLE OF NAHIYAT BANI-OBEID2, HISTORICAL SOURCES HAVE MENTIONED GOATS & BEEHIVES; HOWEVER NO MENTIONING OF CAMELS, HORSES OR SHEAP IN THE REGION, AND IT WAS NOTICABLE THAT ANIMALS ABUNDANCY WAS DIRECTLY LINKED TO THEM BEING USED IN EITHER TILLAGE, TRANSPORTATION OR HARVEST.

THE FAMILIES OF NAHIYAT BANI-OBEID, USED TO BUY CAMELS & HORSES FROM THE BEDOUIN TRIBES, COWS, BULLS & SHEAP FROM NEIGHBORING VILLAGES, CITIES OR EVEN NEIGHBORING COUNTRY ANIMAL-MARKETS; THOSE OF PALESTINE, SYRIA & EGYPT.

"THE ABSENCE OF CATS IN THE VILLAGE PUSHED ME TO RECREATE THESE TALISMANS, THESE GUARDIANS, VISUALLY TO ADORN THE WALLS AND PROTECT THE INHABITANTS, 150 CATS, ONE FOR EACH VILLAGE

RESIDENT.” BASHAR HROUB – PALESTINE

2.2. TECHNO-PHYSICAL AS WE EXPERIENCED THE VILLAGE &

WANDERED THROUGH ITS RURAL FABRIC, IT LEFT THE IMPRESSION OF A LOW DENSITY, SCATTERED NEIGBORHOOD. THE VILLAGE CONSISTS OF AROUND 70 OLD HOUSES, MANY OF WHICH ARE ABANDONED, WITH VARYING PLOT SIZES & BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPES.

2 NAHIYAT BANI-OBEID, INCLUDES THE CITY OF IRBED, & VILLAGES OF AL-HOSON, AL-SAREEH, SHATANA, EIDOUN, AL-MAZAR, SAMAD, HAM & AL-NAIMEH.

“OLD DOORS, WOODEN FRAMES, IRON RODS, WHAT FASCINATED ME MOST ABOUT THE VILLAGE WERE THE SIMPLE GEOMETRIC HOUSES, AND THE GRAPE VINES THAT FRINGED THE ENTRANCE DOORS. WHAT WAS EVEN MORE PECULIAR, WAS THAT EVEN THOUGH THERE WERE NO OUTER WALL BOUNDARIES AROUND THE HOUSES, OFTEN THERE WOULD BE A LONE-STANDING DOOR, SUGGESTING A PATH INTO THE PREMISES. THESE DOORS WERE LIKE ABSURD PORTALS SYMBOLIZING A CEREMONIAL ENTRANCE AND EXIT, THE NOTION OF WHICH IS WELL KNITTED INTO THE TRADITIONS OF THESE HOSPITABLE PEOPLE.” MEHR JAVED – PAKISTAN

BUILDING METHODS & ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS VARIED GREATLY, OVER TIME IN SHATANA; IN WHICH THERE WERE HOUSES OF ROUGH STONE, SMOOTHED STONE & CONCRETE. ALONGSIDE THE EMERGENCE OF A VARIETY OF DOOR AND WINDOW TYPOLOGIES, THAT CO-EXISTED; ARCH-SHAPED & RECTANGULAR OPENINGS. THE WINDOWS TYPOLOGY DEPENDED ENORMOUSLY ON THE ROOFING TECHNIQUE & COURTYARD EXISTANCE WITHIN BUILDING.

SHATANA IS LOCATED WITHIN A RURAL TRIANGLE; AMONG THE VILLAGES OF KITIM & N’AYMEH. IT SOMEHOW FORMS THE WESTERN EDGE OF THIS TRIANGLE, WITHIN NAHIYAT BANI-OBEID, GIVING IT AN INWARD CHARACTER.

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2.2.A. MENTAL MAP3

FOR US TO BECOME FAMILIAR WITH THE VILLAGE WE MADE A MENTAL MAP IN WHICH WE CHARTED THE MOST FREQUENTLY MENTIONED LANDMARKS, NODES, PATHS, EDGES & DISTRICTS OF THE AREA.

THE VILLAGES EDGES ARE MARKED BY ITS QUARRIES, ON THE PERIPHERY, SUFFOCATING THE SURROUNDING LANDSCAPE & ARCHITECTURE.

“THE DIGGERS FROM THE QUARRIES ARE MOVING TOWARDS THE VILLAGE OF SHATANA. I’M TOLD THAT THE OWNER OF THE QUARRIES BOUGHT THE LAND ON A 100 YEAR LEASE. HE PAYS THE VILLAGERS A MONTHLY FEE FOR THE INCONVENIENCE OF IT ALL AND HAS PAVED THE ROADS SO HIS TRUCKS CAN MOVE FASTER. THE LANDSCAPE IS DISAPPEARING; STRANGE SURREAL CORES OF LAND REMAIN AND THE BEDOUIN TENTS ARE COVERED IN DUST.” MAX MASON – UK

THE CIRCULATION SYSTEM, HOWEVER SHOWS THAT SHATANA IS A WELL CONNECTED VILLAGE, INWHICH THE VILLAGE IS ACCESSED THROUGH THREE MAJOR PATHS; FROM AL-HOSON IN THE NORTH, FROM AL-NAIMEH IN THE EAST, & ONE OTHER PATH, NOT AS IMPORTANT, COMING FROM AJLOUN IN THE WEST.

ONE OF THE MOST FREQUENTLY MENTIONED PATHS, WOULD BE THAT COMMING FROM AL-NAIMEH, IT IS OF SIX METRES WIDE. THIS ROAD FORMS ONE OF THE MAIN ARTERIES THROUGHOUT THE VILLAGE, POURING IN TO THE MAIN VILLAGE SPINE. THIS MAIN ROAD ALSO PASSES BY A MAIN NODE ON ENTERING THE VILLAGE, INWHICH TWO IMPORTANT VILLAGE LANDMARKS ARE SITUATED; THE VILLAGE’S SCHOOL & COMMUNITY CENTER. THIS PATH LATER ON SUBDIVIDES & CONNECTS THE DIFFERENT NEIGBORHOOD DISTRICTS ALL TOGRTHER; THROUGH A NARROW, ORGANIC INTERNAL ROAD SYSTEM. WITH VARYING ROAD WIDTHS, BETWEEN 3-4 METRES WIDE. ALL STREETS IN SHATANA ARE TWO WAY, WHICH 3 THE IMAGE OF THE CITY, 1960, KEVIN LYNCH

MAKES CAR CIRCULATION DIFFICULT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. MANY OF THE INTERNAL STREETS ARE DEAD END; THEY FINISH WITH EITHER A RESIDENCE OR AN UNPAVED PATHWAY.

THE NEIGHBORHOOD DISTRICTS ARE DIVIDED ACCORDING TO THE FAMILIES LIVING IN THEM; THE QANDAH DISTRICT IN THE NORTH OF THE VILLAGE, THE DAHABREH DISTRICT IN THE SOUTH OF THE VILLAGE & FINALLY THE SAWAQED DISTRICT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE VILLAGE.

THE MAIN SPINE MENTIONED EARLIER ACTS AS THE MAIN NODE ON WHICH THE VILLAGES DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOOD-DISTRICTS CONJOIN & THE THREE MOST MENTIONED VILLAGE LANDMARKS LIE; GREEK ORTHODOX, LATIN & CATHOLIC CHURCHES.

2.2.B. LAND USELAND USE ANALYSIS WAS DONE

THROUGH OBSERVATION. OVER ALL THE RESIDENTIAL CHARACTER IS DOMINANT & THE AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITY COMES NEXT IN LINE. THE COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY HOWEVER IS COMPARATIVELY RECESSIVE & STRIVES ON AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS; TWO SINGLE MINI MARKETS SERVE AS THE VILLAGES MAIN SUPPLIERS OF THEIR DAY TO DAY GROCERY NEEDS. THERE IS ONE SCHOOL IN THE VILLAGE, A COMMUNITY CENTER, A DIWAN FOR THE QANDAH FAMILY AND A SINGLE CEMETERY LOCATED NEAR THE LATIN CHURCH.

“HABBAT EL LULU4, SHATANA VILLAGE IS FAMOUS FOR ITS LABANEH, ESPECIALLY THE GOAT LABANEH MADE IN THE SEASON BETWEEN FEBRUARY AND JUNE EVERY YEAR, QUITE STRONG IN FLAVOUR AND OFTEN KEPT IN THE SHAPE OF SMALL BALLS IN JARS FILLED WITH OLIVE OIL.” DIALA KHASAWNIH – JORDAN

4 HABBAT EL LULU: AN ANALOGY FOR LABANEH IN A JEWELRY BOUTIQUE

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“SHATANA LOCALS PRODUCE SOME GOODS IN THEIR HOMES, MOSTLY THE WOMEN, SOME EXPAND AT A SCALE BEYOND THEIR OWN HOMES. THESE PRODUCTS RANGE FROM DAIRY SUCH AS LABANEH, YOGURT, CHEESE, JAMEED, AND GHEE WHERE THEY GET FRESH MILK FROM THE BEDOUIN SHEPHERDS NEARBY, AS WELL AS OLIVE OIL, WINE, HIBISCUS JUICE, FRESHLY HARVESTED OKRA, WHEAT AND OLIVES. ALL DELICIOUS, PARTICULARLY WITH FRESHLY BACKED LOCAL BREAD. I SPOKE TO SOME OF THESE WOMEN, I SUGGESTED THEY EXHIBIT AND SELL THEIR PRODUCE ON THE OPEN DAY. FOR COMPLICATED SOCIAL REASONS, THE SUGGESTION WAS MET WITH SOME RESISTANCE IN TAKING THIS COMMERCIAL EXCHANGE FROM THE PRIVACY OF THEIR HOMES TO THE PUBLIC. HOWEVER, A GROUP GOT ENTHUSIASTIC AND A PROJECT DEVELOPED CALLED AL-DUKKANEH (THE SHOP). SOME VISITORS LEFT AT SUNSET WITH A BOTTLE OF WINE OR A PLASTIC BAG OF LABANEH WHICH WILL SOON BE MADE INTO BALLS

AND SOAKED IN OLIVE OIL.” DIALA KHASAWNIH - JORDAN

2.3. SOCIO CULTURAL2.3.A. INHABITANTS

SHATANA’S POPULATION IS APPROXIMATELY OF 150 PEOPLE; FAMILY GROUPS THAT BEGAN THE VILLAGE ARE THE QANDAH WHO WERE LATIN CATHOLIC, THE SAWAQED WHO WERE MELCHITE AND THE DAHABREH WHO WERE GREEK ORTHODOX. BETWEEN 1921 AND 1927 THERE WERE THREE SCHOOLS IN THE VILLAGE, WITH ONE TEACHER EACH. BY 1927 THERE WERE 28 PUPILS IN THE LATIN SCHOOL, THE BUILDING STILL SERVING AS A CHURCH, SCHOOL AND PRIEST’S HOUSE TODAY. AS THE NUMBERS OF PUPILS GREW, TWO ROSARY SISTERS ARRIVED TO TEACH. A HOUSE WAS BUILT FOR THEM, WITH TWO CLASSROOMS UNDERNEATH THEIR LIVING ACCOMMODATION.

IN 1950 MANY MEN WITH THEIR FAMILIES LEFT THE VILLAGE TO ENLIST IN THE ARMY IN ZARQA. THE RESULT WAS THAT THE NUMBERS OF CHILDREN IN THE SCHOOL FELL AND IN ABOUT 1972 IT WAS FOUND NECESSARY TO

CLOSE THE SCHOOL COMPLETELY. NOW ANY CHILDREN IN THE VILLAGE HAVE TO TRAVEL TO SCHOOLS IN AL-HOSON.

“FROM THE FIRST MOMENT I ARRIVED IN SHATANA, AFTER MY FIRST WALK THROUGH THE VILLAGE, I FELT THAT THE EMPTY HOUSES WERE FULL OF LOVE, WAITING, AND NOSTALGIA FOR THOSE WHO HAD ONCE GIVEN IT LIFE. THIS KIND OF PLACE FOLLOWS ME EVERYWHERE. I TRIED TO BRING THIS FEELING BACK INTO THE HOUSES. I COLLECTED VOICES FROM PEOPLE AROUND THE VILLAGE THROUGH INTIMATE CONVERSATIONS. THE GOOD MORNING, THE COFFEE, WELCOME, CHILDREN GAMES, AN ELDERLY MAN'S MEMORIES AND HIS SADNESS HERE AND THERE, LOVE, HAPPINESS AND PEACE.” RAFAT ASAD - PALESTINE

“THE STORIES OF THE OLDER GENERATION OF SHATANA’S INHABITANTS TALKED OF THE EMPTINESS OF THE VILLAGE. YOUNG FAMILIES LEAVE TO LARGE CITIES; THE SOUNDS OF CHILDREN PLAYING ARE ABSENT. AT THE SAME TIME THE INHABITANTS TALKED OF GHOST STORIES OF THE CHILDREN THAT USED TO LIVE IN THE VILLAGE A LONG TIME AGO.” SAMAH HIJAWI – JORDAN

OTHER USERS OF THE VILLAGE TODAY WOULD BE THE ANNUAL WORKSHOP ARTIST VISITORS; 20–25 MID-CAREER ARTISTS FROM DIVERSE CULTURAL BACKGROUNDS, HALF OF WHICH ARE FROM THE HOST COUNTRY, GIVING THE WORKSHOP A STRONG LOCAL BASE, WHILE THE REMAINDER ARE INTERNATIONAL. THESE ARTISTS ARE INVITED TO SPEND TWO WEEKS IN THE VILLAGE ENCOURAGING EXCHANGE, EXPERIMENTATION, MOBILITY, FRESH THINKING, EMPHASIS ON THE PROCESS, & RESPONDING TO LOCAL VILLAGE NEEDS.

“FOR TWO WEEKS, THE ARTISTS SHARED MEALS, JOINED IN IMPROMPTU DANCE PARTIES, WALKED AROUND THE VILLAGE, WENT ON TRIPS TO THE TOWN NEARBY, TALKED ABOUT THEIR WORK, DISCUSSED THEIR IDEAS AND HELPED EACH OTHER DEVELOP THEIR WORK. AS THE OPEN DAY

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APPROACHED, THE MOMENTUM INCREASED; THERE WAS FEVER ON THE GROUNDS. DESPITE THE SCORCHING HEAT, THE CROWDS CAME IN NUMBERS THAT SURPASSED EXPECTATIONS BY FAR, EVEN THE MOST AMBITIOUS. THE OPEN DAY EXHIBIT TOOK THE AUDIENCE ON A TOUR OF A SECTION OF THE VILLAGE. THERE WERE ABOUT 32 PROJECTS, MOSTLY WORK IN PROGRESS, OF ART MADE BY THE 23 PARTICIPATING ARTISTS, FROM VIDEO TO SCULPTURE, SPREAD AROUND THE VILLAGE LANDS, ON THE CHURCH GROUNDS, IN HOMES, IN OLD DECAYING BUILDINGS AND CAVES. GENERALLY THE WORK REVOLVED AROUND SEVERAL MAIN TOPICS SUCH AS THE STONE QUARRIES BEHIND THE MOUNTAINS OF THE VILLAGE, THE LOCAL NATURE AND ITS FORCES, THE RELATIONSHIP, INTERVENTION AND INTERACTION BETWEEN THE ARTIST AND THE LOCAL INHABITANTS, THE INHABITANTS OF THE VILLAGE AND THEIR LIVELIHOOD AS WELL AS THE EMIGRATION FROM THE VILLAGE AND ITS ABANDONMENT.“ DIALA KHASAWNIH – JORDAN

THE LOCAL POPULATION IS HIGHLY SUPPORTIVE OF THE WORKSHOP; THERE IS LOCAL PARTICIPATION ONE ON ONE WITH ARTISTS, INWHICH HOUSES FROM THE VILLAGE ARE LOCATED TO HOST THESE ARTISTS. AS AGREED WITH THE OWNERS, THROUGH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE LOCAL CATHOLIC CHURCH AND THE PRIEST FATHER IMAD, THEY OFFER THEIR HOUSES FOR THE DURATION OF THE WORKSHOP IN RETURN FOR THE RENOVATION AND MAINTENANCE WORK NECESSARY TO MAKE THESE LONG-ABANDONED SPACES HABITABLE.

THE WORKSHOP ENDS WITH AN OPEN DAY INVITING THE PUBLIC TO MEET THE ARTISTS, SEE THE WORKS IN PROGRESS SPREAD IN THE VILLAGE AND TO CELEBRATE THE EXPERIENCE. THE OPEN DAYS AND OPEN STUDIOS INTRODUCE AUDIENCES TO A BROAD VARIETY OF INTERNATIONAL ARTISTIC PRACTICES, WHILE EXHIBITION PROGRAMMES OFFER ARTISTS A PLATFORM FOR MORE RESOLVED AND AMBITIOUS WORK. ASSOCIATED EDUCATION PROGRAMMES

AIM TO INTRODUCE THEMES AND IDEAS OF CONTEMPORARY ART PRACTICE TO THE WIDER COMMUNITY. OPEN DAYS BRING DIVERSE AND LARGE AUDIENCES.

“THE OPEN DAY BUZZ STILL SOUNDS IN MY HEAD. ON THE 20TH OF JULY, THE OPEN DAY CONCLUDED THE TWO-WEEK ARTIST WORKSHOP AT THE VILLAGE OF SHATANA NORTH OF JORDAN. THE EVENT ACKNOWLEDGED THE INTERACTIVE AND COOPERATIVE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE ARTISTS, THE LOCATION AND THE INHABITANTS OF THIS OLD, HALF-ABANDONED, BEAUTIFUL VILLAGE. THE CROWD TOURING THE SITE OF THE EXHIBITED WORKS BROUGHT HUSTLE AND BUSTLE, TRANSFORMING THE SERENE STREETS AND EMPTY HOUSES. IN A COUNTRY WHERE CONTEMPORARY ART IS STILL FOREIGN, EVEN – OR RATHER, PARTICULARLY – AT CENTRES OF ART AND AMONG MAKERS OF ART, CONTEMPORARY ART IN ITS VARIOUS ILLUSTRATIONS WAS AT HOME IN SHATANA.” DIALA KHASAWNIH - JORDAN

2.3.B. ONSITE ETHNOGRAPHY BY SURVEY TEAM5

AS WE WALKED THROUGH THE VILLAGE, WE MET & INTERVIEWED MR. AYYOUB SAWAQED6 & ASKED HIM A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, CONCERNING SHATANA, ITS HISTORY, CULTURE & OTHER. ONE OF SURVEY TEAM'S VERY FIRST QUESTIONS REGARDED THE NAME OF THE VILLAGE & HOW IT CAME ABOUT, MR. SAWAQED SAID: "SHATANA COMES FROM THE ARABIC WORD “ISTHTATTA”, MEANING DISTANT, OR REMOTE, AS TRANSPORTATION FROM & TO THE VILLAGE WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT IN THE PAST". TODAY, THIS TURNED OUT TO BE AN ADMIRABLE QUALITY FOR THE ARTISTS ATENDING THE ANNUAL WORKSHOP, AIMING FOR DISTANCE & ISOLATION.

5 Survey team: Farah Abdo, Hiba Abulheija, Ronza Aburahmoun, Sara Alnaser, Mohamed Almajed, Mohamed Asiri, Asma Butreeq, Ronza Kakish, Wala’a Mubeideen

6 MR. AYYOUB SAWAQED, author of "Qaryati Shatana", My Village Shatana

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AS WE CONTINUED OUR WALK, A NOTICABLE QUALITY OF THE VILLAGE & ITS INHABITANTS BECAME EVIDENT; THE BLEND & CONTINUITY OF SPACE; IN WHICH THE VILLAGES HOUSES EXTENDED TO THE OUTSIDE PROVIDING A SEMI-PRIVATE ZONE FOR GATHERINGS OR FOR PLANTING; CONSIDERING THE STREET AS PART OF THE HOUSES. VILLAGE INHABITANTS SPEND THEIR DAY INFRONT OF THEIR HOUSES, PLAYING TAWLEH, CARDS & HAVING THEIR MEALS TOGETHER.

WHEN VISITING THE VILLAGE, ONE HAS A FEELING THAT THERE HOUSES SIMPLY DON’T HAVE AN END. HAVING THEIR DOORS ALWAYS OPEN, HELPS IN GIVING THE SENSE OF THE INSIDE-OUTSIDE FLOW & COULD BE CONSIDERED AS A SIGN OF WELCOME. THE BLEND & CONTINUITY OF THEIR SPACES HELP THE RESIDENTS COPE WITH THE CONGESTION IN THE VILLAGE AT TIMES OF EVENTS, SUCH AS THE ARTS WORKSHOP, “WHEAT & OLIVE FESTIVAL”, & OTHERS… THEY DON’T MIND HAVING THEIR ROOMS & PRIVATE SPACES TO THE INSIDE, BUT THEIR LIVING ROOMS OR KITCHENS, OR DINING ROOMS MUST HAVE AN EXTENSION TO THE OUTSIDE.

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