The families are subjected to a continuous cocktail of violence, harassments, arbitrary arrests for indefinite time, physical and verbal abuse and always impunity for the settler-perpetrators. I got to know the almost 50 participating women in this hood in the course of several weeks-long visits in February and May 23. The women photographed their homes, loved ones and surroundings then during the month of September 23, because merely staying here constitutes their ultimate act of resistance against the occupation. We photographed with small analogue cameras, to convey a more blurry ambiguous feeling in contrast with the digital press images we usually see coming from this region. ‘OM/Mother is a feminist work of love.

We have made a beautiful book called ‘Om/Mother, together with publishing house The Eriskay Connection (NL), we did several book presentations, in the company of two participating Hebron photographers Aysha and Sundus Al Azza, in April 24 in Ghent (viernulvier with Yalla Worldwide/Bader Shashit), Brussels, Zaventem, Leuven, Liege and Antwerp (Fotomuseum). The 8 mothers are the driving force of their families. They are on the cover of the book as a gesture of respect. They are ‘Om Abed, ‘Om Ahmad, ‘Om Emad, ‘Om Hazem, ‘Om Muntasser, ‘Om Tamer, ‘Om Wisam and ‘Om Yusuf. In Boeks Gent we did a book performance with the Palestinian sound artist Kamel Badarneh/SAWT and Brigitte Herremans. The book was picked up on several book platforms and book shops around the world, like at Bildband Berlin or in Moom Bookshop in Tokyo but also for instance in Fotomuseum, Antwerp, in Tipi Bookshop, Brussels and in Copyright and Paard van Troje, Ghent.

Happy today that our book ‘Om/Mother is nominated for the APERTURE PARIS PHOTO AWARD 2024. Fingers crossed. It was previously also on the shortlist for the Book Award 2024 category photo+text at les Rencontres d’Arles Photo Festival , nominated for the Book Award APhF Pick 2024 at the Athens Photo Festival + shortlisted for the Oslo Fotobokfestival 2024. During Paris Photo 8-10 November 24 we will do book signings, at the fair and at Polycopies. In the Grand Palais I will give an artist talk Sat 9th of November at 4 pm and at 7pm at arts center Le Bal, next to Adam Broomberg and Rafael Gonzales.

‘OM/Mother has been published in DS Weekblad (De Standaard, BE) in October 2023, in The Union Magazine, in Musee Magazine, in ZOUT magazine, it featured on De Donkere Kamer, Rektoverso and on culture program Pompidou on radio KLARA (VRT, BE). ‘Om/Mother was on television in the Sunday show of the VRT in De Zevende Dag. I was interviewed on the podcast De Donkere Kamer and by FishEye Magazine. There were a few exhibitions, in Liege in Galerie Satelite (Archipel Programma BIP Liege), in Zaventem in De Factorij, and in Blanco, Ghent ( ‘I am the Smasher of Idols’ together with Firas El Hallak, Sirien Salameh and Sam Eggermont).

The first edition of our book ‘Om/Mother is almost finished but there are still a few copies left. On my website here you can buy the book and 2 postcards of ‘Om/Mother for a support price of 40 euro (price in the book store or on www.erikskayconnection.com is 30 euro). Also do we sell prints, framed (artist print 20*30 cm cm on hahnemuehle fine art paper 305g, aluminium frame, limited edition of 20 each) and unframed (artist print 16*24 cm on hahnemuehle fine art paper 320g, limited edition of 30 each), of 8 different images, here on my website.

I am very available for a lecture and/or book presentation, alone or together with another photographer from Hebron by zoom.

Important to note: all profits from the book/special edition prints will go to the women’s activities of Youth Against Settlements in Tel Rumeida, the area of Hebron/H2 where all women and girls in this project live with their families.

The women of Tel Rumeida and I thank you from the bottoms of our hearts for your support.

We are all Palestinians. Arms embargo. BDS. Ceasefire. End the occupation. Free Palestine. No one is free till all are.