HETEROTOPIA

Literally speaking Heterotopia is defined as the ‘other’ space: the reflection mirroring of an authentic, at the same time existent and fictional. It is an underlying layer beyond reality –an ultimate space of meaning behind the world of appearances and definitions.

Literally speaking Heterotopia is defined as the ‘other’ space: the reflection mirroring of an authentic, at the same time existent and fictional. It is an underlying layer beyond reality –an ultimate space of meaning behind the world of appearances and definitions. Fouceault’s Heterotopia is the point where Utopia meets Reality –not necessarily referring to a specific physical geographical space, but rather to a space of underlying relationships of culture and power. Heterotopias provide a sort of mixed and joint experience beyond the physical (visual) and the conceptual (mental) space. The transformation the domestication of the hostile Palestinian desert and the creation of primeval –archetypical- settlements into the harsh and ancient desert of Palestine is not just a major architectural and landscaping achievement; the Kibbutz ultimately constitute an epitome of faith, determination and stamina. Similarly the ancient hearth essentially represents the unbroken and interconnecting circle (the fundamental shape in the history of civilization) which connects the sitters equally between themselves and also coequally to the fireplace. However, social and economic and ideological developments in Israel is not only incident to major technical accomplishments. Towards the establishment of contemporary Israel notions such as memory, history and religion (as well as the institutions which reproduce them), have been employed in order to create, consolidate and reproduce a sense of national and political identity. Focusing at the environment of Heterotopias allows the viewer to reveal the imprint of contemporary Israel especially in connection to the mechanisms through which the notions of power, identity and authority are incubated and reproduced. Through a process of deconstruction and a projection at a spatial level, HETEROTOPIA re-addresses those fundamental elements, which determine the identity of contemporary Israel: religion, history and memory.