Emily Jacir transforms family home into Dar Yusuf Nasri Jacir for Art and Research

Emily Jacir has launched a crowdfunding campaign to convert her family home in Bethlehem into an independent exhibition space and contemporary art center. The project, named Dar Yusuf Nasri Jacir for Art and Research, is housed in a building constructed by her great-grandfather in 1890, located near the separation wall in the West Bank. Jacir aims to revitalize a moribund area affected by the wall, using art as a form of resistance. The center will focus on contemporary art and cinema, and will include an archive of photographs and historical documents. Plans also include an international artist residency program and educational initiatives in collaboration with Bethlehem University and the Institute for Palestine Studies. The crowdfunding campaign, launched on Kickstarter, seeks $45,000 for renovation and safety upgrades. Within three days, it reached nearly 60% of its goal. Jacir stated that the project has been a dream for over fifteen years, with concrete efforts beginning in 2014. The building embodies 127 years of history, having survived wars, occupations, and revolutions, and is seen as a bridge between past and future. The initiative merges private and public dimensions, aiming to produce new artworks and foster community engagement.