say cheese

The project "say cheese" deals with the topic of citizen videography as a tool of resistance in Palestine and the question of truth in (audio-)visual footage.

When I first arrived in Israel/Palestine one thing, that immediately caught my attention were phone cameras. At every protest, at every encounter with the Israeli military or Israeli settlers Palestinians would film everything, and you would find this footage on social media shortly after.

Many people call the video camera a weapon in the Palestinian resistance against the occupation and injustice. The definition of a weapon is “a means of gaining an advantage or defending oneself in a conflict or contest”. There are many ways in which the camera can be a tool in resistance. Some more efficient than others. One thing – I feel is important – is that in the nature of the military occupation the Palestinian body is subject to the gaze of the occupier and is restricted in the ability to see themselves. During searches at Checkpoints, house searches at night, extensive video surveillance and the Separation wall - which physically interrupts the ability to see. Cameras in the hands of Palestinian citizens are an attempt to reverse these power dynamics of seeing and being seen.

This work talks about the hope, that documenting with videos can bring change, the question of how much truth can be in (audio-)visual footage, the difference between citizen videography and footage from (foreign) journalists, footage in the context of social media and the war on pictures.

© Edith Geuppert - from the film „5 Broken Cameras“ by Emad Burnat in Bil’in
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from the film „5 Broken Cameras“ by Emad Burnat in Bil’in

© Edith Geuppert - between Ubeidiya and Mar Saba Monastery
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between Ubeidiya and Mar Saba Monastery

© Edith Geuppert - Residents of the village Susiya in the South Hebron Hills film settlers from a settlement nearby entering the village.
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Residents of the village Susiya in the South Hebron Hills film settlers from a settlement nearby entering the village.

© Edith Geuppert - Image from the say cheese photography project
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A young Palestinian resident of the East Jerusalem neigborhood Sheik Jarrah is filming police violence in his neighborhood form a car.

© Edith Geuppert - in the village A-Tuwani in the South Hebron Hills
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in the village A-Tuwani in the South Hebron Hills

© Edith Geuppert - Residents and Journalists capture a demonstration in the East Jerusalem neigborhood Sheik Jarrah
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Residents and Journalists capture a demonstration in the East Jerusalem neigborhood Sheik Jarrah

© Edith Geuppert - from a video by the Human Rights Organisation B’Tselem in Hebron
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from a video by the Human Rights Organisation B’Tselem in Hebron

© Edith Geuppert - from a video by the Human Rights Organisation B’Tselem in Susiya
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from a video by the Human Rights Organisation B’Tselem in Susiya

© Edith Geuppert - from the film „5 Broken Cameras“ by Emad Burnat in Bil’in
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from the film „5 Broken Cameras“ by Emad Burnat in Bil’in

© Edith Geuppert - Al-Issawiya in East Jerusalem
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Al-Issawiya in East Jerusalem

© Edith Geuppert - Image from the say cheese photography project
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Residents of the village Susiya in the South Hebron Hills look at their phones after settlers from a settlement nearby entered the village.

© Edith Geuppert - Image from the say cheese photography project
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An encounter between the Israeli Right-wing activist and resident of Kiryat Arba Ofer Ohana, a Israeli Left-wing activist and Israeli soldiers during a protest in the settlement Kiryat Arba next to the city of Hebron against the Israeli president Isaac Herzog lighting the first Hannuka candle in Kiryat Arba.

© Edith Geuppert - the East Jerusalem neighborhood Al-Issawiya and behind the Seperationwall the Refugeecamp Shuafat
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the East Jerusalem neighborhood Al-Issawiya and behind the Seperationwall the Refugeecamp Shuafat

© Edith Geuppert - Image from the say cheese photography project
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A Israeli Right wing activist and a Palestinian filming each other during a demonstration in the East Jerusalem neighborhood Sheikh Jarrah.

© Edith Geuppert - From the film „5 Broken Cameras“ by Emad Burnat in Bil’in
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From the film „5 Broken Cameras“ by Emad Burnat in Bil’in

© Edith Geuppert - from a video by the Human Rights Organisation B’Tselem in Sheikh Jarrah
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from a video by the Human Rights Organisation B’Tselem in Sheikh Jarrah

© Edith Geuppert - Young Palestinians filming Israeli soldiers during an home eviction in the East Jerusalem neighborhood Sheikh Jarrah.
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Young Palestinians filming Israeli soldiers during an home eviction in the East Jerusalem neighborhood Sheikh Jarrah.

© Edith Geuppert - A Israeli Right wing activist is filming a demonstration in the East Jerusalem neighborhood Sheikh Jarrah.
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A Israeli Right wing activist is filming a demonstration in the East Jerusalem neighborhood Sheikh Jarrah.

© Edith Geuppert - Image from the say cheese photography project
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A resident of the village Susiya in the South Hebron Hills and activists filming settlers from a settlement nearby entering the village.

© Edith Geuppert - Bethlehem in the West Bank
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Bethlehem in the West Bank

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