“Otherwise Occupied" Book

This publication accompanies the collateral event at the 2013 Venice Biennale, Otherwise Occupied, which showcased the work of Palestinian-born artists Bashir Makhoul and Aissa Deebi. Through the installations Giardino Occupato and The Trial, the exhibition explores how Palestine—under occupation—has been continuously imagined and reconstructed in the collective consciousness of its people and diaspora.

Edited by Ryan Bishop and Gordon Hon, this thought-provoking volume brings together artists, curators, and scholars to examine the intersections of space, violence, memory, and artistic resistance. It challenges dominant narratives by engaging with the politics of visibility, representation, and belonging beyond the limits imposed by occupation.

With contributions from Bruce Ferguson, Rawan Sharaf, John Beck, Sheila Crane, Steve Graham, Jonathan Harris, Anneka Lenssen, Sarah Rogers, and Valentin Roma, Otherwise Occupied stands as a vital reflection on art’s power to envision alternative futures for Palestine.