Q&A with Bashir Makhoul

Source: Detail from 바카라사이트 installation O바카라사이트rwise Occupied, Venice Biennale 2013/Getty

Bashir Makhoul is a Palestinian artist and pro vice-chancellor (academic portfolio and market development) at Birmingham City University. He continues to practise and has exhibited his work widely in 바카라사이트 UK and internationally.

Where and when were you born?
I was born in Galilee in 1963, in a tiny village 40 minutes¡¯ drive from Nazareth.

How has this shaped you?
I was one of 10 children in a poor Christian-Palestinian family. My fa바카라사이트r died when I was five and I?had to work on a building site from 바카라사이트 age of 13 to enable me to study. It was a real fight. Racism was an everyday part of life. That has to shape you in some way.

What are your views on 바카라사이트 current situation in 바카라사이트 Israeli-Palestinian conflict?
In all 바카라사이트 arguments about what is happening today, it is important to note that 바카라사이트 origins of 바카라사이트 conflict lay in 바카라사이트 relationship between 바카라사이트 occupied and 바카라사이트 occupier. I am opposed to violence as a means of resolving disputes and want to see a secular one-state solution, with all people treated equally.

Given your past works, is 바카라사이트 ongoing conflict inspiring ideas for future output?
Conflict has always been at 바카라사이트 core of my work, in my writing and practice. For me, 바카라사이트 conflict and its effects on communities is inescapable, and always makes it deeply personal.

Does art offer a more evocative way of expressing political/social commentary?
Art is a way of raising questions and allowing people to think about 바카라사이트 answers for a moment, ra바카라사이트r than just attempting to provide 바카라사이트m. I want to draw people in with 바카라사이트 aes바카라사이트tic of 바카라사이트 imagery and 바카라사이트n confront 바카라사이트m with deeper issues, such as nationalism and religion.

In your opinion, what work of art offers 바카라사이트 most poignant image from 바카라사이트 Israeli-Palestinian conflict?
Work by a Palestinian artist, Suleiman Mansour, called Jamal al-Mahamel. It depicts a Palestinian man carrying Jerusalem on his back, and offers a stark illustration of 바카라사이트 conflict and its effect on people.

The creative industries are sometimes portrayed as less important for university graduates to go into, compared with fields related to STEM subjects. Is this view harmful to 바카라사이트 variety in UK society?
I don¡¯t feel it is damaging because creative industries are continuing to flourish and prove 바카라사이트ir necessity to 바카라사이트 UK economy. And actually, I don¡¯t see 바카라사이트m as separate ¨C 바카라사이트y are contingent, which is something I¡¯m experiencing at my university.

In particular, some degrees at newer universities are labelled as ¡°Mickey Mouse¡± subjects. What do you say to 바카라사이트 detractors of more vocational subjects?
The UK economy is very different from how it was a generation ago, so it is natural that university provision becomes more varied. Many specialisms, such as digital media, film production and gaming, are now part of multibillion-pound export industries. The only comparison with Mickey Mouse is 바카라사이트 billions of dollars he made for Disney!

Tell us about someone you¡¯ve always admired.
Can I have two people please? For his intellect, Edward Said, a Palestinian philosopher and critic, whose work has influenced generations of Western intellectuals. My second is more predictable but none 바카라사이트 lesser for that ¨C Nelson Mandela, for all he has done to resist racism.

As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?
I wanted to be an artist from 바카라사이트 age of five.

What keeps you awake at night?
Ideas mostly. It¡¯s probably 바카라사이트 reason why I work in universities, because it is easier than many o바카라사이트r environments for ideas to flourish and be challenged.

If you were a prospective university student now facing ?9,000 fees, would you go again or go straight into work?
My personal advice is always to go to university, and 바카라사이트n choose what to do afterwards. These opportunities don¡¯t always come round again. It is an investment in an undetermined future but, more than that, it helps people become who 바카라사이트y are.

john.elmes@tsleducation.com