Shaima Hamad

"Our food culture can speak about us"

Shaima Hamad is in residence at the Centre d'Art Contemporain de la Ferme du Buisson from May 31 to June 28, in partnership with the French Institute of Jerusalem's Ramallah branch. The collaboration began with the French Institute in spring 2021 and Sakiya Farm has made it possible to accommodate 4 young Palestinian artists for a residency at the Sakiya farm. Among them, Shaima Hamad has also been invited for a month this spring at the Ferme du Buisson.

Lawyer and artist, Shaima Hamad (born 1997 in Jerusalem, lives and works in Ramallah, Palestine) focuses on knowledge of traditional Palestinian culture and intellectual property rights. She uses performance and culinary art as a means of documenting and protecting the history and heritage of food-related practices. Her blog "Food in Law", relayed on her Instagram account, is another channel for sharing her art.

Shaima Hamad's residency follows two lines: on the one hand, the link between culture and cuisine in the countries of the Mediterranean basin, and on the other, the legal status and protection of natural elements. 

At the end of the residency she will present her work as part of the event Rêver la ville ("Dreaming the City")  on 18 June. The artist offers the public a tasting of culinary products linked to Arab cultures via different regional recipes featuring hummus in particular. This meeting is an opportunity to talk about his project of revealing an intangible heritage, together with its social and political ramifications.

With the support of the French Consulate General in Jerusalem

In partnership with Sakiya – Art | Science | Agriculture in Ramallah and the French Institute in Jerusalem