“Il Padiglione della Palestina esiste, ed è a Torino”. Intervista sulla mostra dedicata alla storia di Gaza alla Fondazione Merz
The Merz Foundation in Turin is hosting the exhibition 'Gaza, il futuro ha un cuore antico. Materie e memorie del Mediterraneo' (Gaza, the future has an ancient heart. Matters and memories of the Mediterranean). The show, created in collaboration with the Egyptian Museum and the MAH – Musée d’art et d’histoire in Geneva, juxtaposes ancient archaeological artifacts from Gaza with contemporary artworks. It aims to present Gaza's history as a Mediterranean crossroads, moving beyond its current wartime representation. The exhibition features artifacts from a collection of about 500 pieces, temporarily held in Geneva, alongside works by contemporary artists like Samaa Emad, Mirna Bamieh, and Wael Shawky.
The exhibition matters because it addresses the precarious state of Palestinian cultural heritage, specifically artifacts displaced from Gaza and awaiting a museum that may never be built. It uses the dialogue between ancient objects and contemporary art not for illustration, but to create a critical tension, reactivating the past to comment on the present political situation and the 'irresponsible silence' surrounding current events. The show functions as a form of cultural preservation and political commentary, asserting Palestine's cultural presence on the international stage.