Further Information

islandtoislandproject.com

After working with visual art as both a reflection of the world around us and as a weapon against the injustice we witness, I have been thinking of how I can take my art for Palestine further than Iceland. This island, in the periphery of Europe has been a loud voice in the fight against “Israel” and for a free Palestine, and I have tried to do my part in it as loudly as I can.

Last summer I traveled to another island, at the very other end of Europe, a calm island in the Aegean called Ikaria, where I was given the opportunity to leave a mark on the land speaking as loudly for Palestine with another large scale mural. Now, back in the cold dark Icelandic winter, still witnessing a genocide, I want to take my work of visual, public solidarity further. Even though these islands might be perceived as isolated and distant places, we all share parallel experiences of resilience, cultural memory, autonomy and connection. I want my next project to visualise how we have always been connected through currents, migration routes, trade histories and now in these contemporary networks of solidarity.

So to summarise: we might seem separated but we remain deeply interconnected through grief, resistance and through what we all see. Visually in the project I will use eyes as a symbol of witnessing and as a symbol of refusing to look away. Eyes have been known to represent awareness and protection, and within this project I want to add the meaning that everywhere people see, everywhere people remember. The gaze towards Gaza is everywhere in our shared field of attention.

Why do I mostly speak for Palestine, I have been asked, and I believe it is because this is the culprit. This is where our humanity either goes to die or where we save it, and I believe with community and efforts in all different ways the latter will be possible . My part is that of the artist, for now, and through large scale public murals I aim to visualise these connections, our shared solidarity for Palestine.

Artwork on public walls function as shared spaces for reflection, memory and connection. I want to strengthen these connections, the cultural exchange between communities. To work together with local cultural institutions, with grassroots initiatives and with other artists is an important part of this. Islands for me have always been a place where I feel the most connected to the world, despite them standing alone.

In addition to the physical murals in different spaces, I will also build a website/social media to expand the project digitally. By each mural there will be a discreet qr code linking to the website where you will be able to find the following:

Background information about the project / about collabs with different artists

Documentation from finished murals in various locations

Reflections on shared community and shared responsibility connected to witnessing a genocide in real time

Interviews in video format with local collaborators

Resources on how to actively support Palestine in different ways (through donations, how to organise etc)

Visuals available for download to spread the project further. Think stencils and posters, stickers etc.

The aim is not thoughtless replication of eyes without context, but shared resonance and a reminder that we hold responsibility both to our shared history, the times we are in and to our shared future. What will they see looking back? What can we look at in the past to learn? What do we do with what we see now?

I will document each finished mural using an analog camera pretading 1948, as in predating the Nakba. In a way I want to show how it’s not very long ago “Israel” was established, and by using a camera older than the occupation I give us the opportunity to view my work through a lens that sees Palestine for what it is, and what it should always be: Palestine.

About me:

I am Julia Mai, an Iceland based visual artist working primarily with public murals and socially engaged art practices.

Over the past years, my work has centred strongly on Palestine, mainly to raise awareness but also because it is my most natural way of not staying silent. My murals in Iceland have become part of the public visual landscape, including works that have been featured internationally, among others by Al Jazeera. I have also collaborated with initiatives such as WeAreThePeace and created cover artwork for The Reykjavík Grapevine for their Palestine focused issue where my Reykjavik mural was also featured.

Beyond murals, I have taken part in organising fundraisers, public events and demonstrations for Palestine, against the occupation and genocide carried out by “Israel”, sometimes standing alone in protest, sometimes together with hundreds and thousands of others. For me, artistic practice and civic responsibility are not separate.

Speaking publicly has not always been without consequence. I have experienced professional setbacks as a result of taking a clear position. In order to stay true to myself, rather than retreating, I am committing more fully to my art and to building projects that could create lasting public dialogue and awareness. It’s the only way.

So, I am now dedicating my time and artistic energy to make this project possible, and I’m seeking the support that allows it to move from vision to reality. Funds raised here will be used for materials, travel expenses and documentation of the project.

On a more private or personal note I am a mother of two humans and two cats. Besides spending as much time as I can in the swimmingpool I love cooking food I’ve never tried before, walking around with my camera, digging through flea markets and sleeping in. I’m curious about people and how we live and I can get really hyperfocused when learning a new language or about a certain event in history. I think this curiosity is part of my work as much as it is part of my personal life. My first words besides mamma and pappa were literally “ what are you doing? (Vad gör du? ) And this is what I want people to reflect on with this project, Island to Island, what are we doing?