Postcards from Jerusalem

Jerusalem. A city often trapped inside its own dual natures. Religiously it’s the City of Heaven vs. the City of Earth. Culturally it’s Arab vs. Jew. Geographically it’s East vs. West. Politically it’s Palestinian vs. Israeli. These various ideas about Jerusalem are constantly competing and interacting with each other.

This brief series explores how visiting tourists and pilgrims confront Jerusalem’s differing natures with yet another duality: the idealized myth vs. the socio-political reality. The postcards of David Robert’s picturesque 19th century landscapes of Jerusalem represent that ideal vision of the Holy City. From afar the myth and reality coexist, but a closer look reveals a socio-political reality that veers sharply from the idealized vision of Jerusalem. 


The Western Wall and al-Aqsa with David Robert's "The Dome of the Rock."

The Western Wall and al-Aqsa with David Robert's "The Dome of the Rock."

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