Banksy isn't your typical icon. I doubt anyone tuned into this is seeing the name for the first time, he's known around the world. Most everyone has a favorite Banksy memory like the painted elephant in the room or the time that painting sold for how ever many thousands or millions and it shredded itself at point of sale in front of a packed audience. But that's all we know. He doesn't promote himself on social media, no billboards, television ads or commercial sponsorships. Other than he's British and arguably the most phenomenal artist alive, we don't even know if Banksy is his nickname, first name, last, we don't know anything about it him—he isn't typical.
Neither is West Bank—an Israeli occupied settlement in Palestinian territory. The historical and religious divide between Palestine and Israel dates back pre Jesus. Both countries have been under numerous rule for thousands of years including The Romans and Islamic Ottoman Empire of Turkey until finally ruled by England following their WWI victory over Germany and Turkey in 1918. For the purpose of this article, we'll chronicle the last 100 years as quickly as possible, there's just so much ground to cover. Without first painting a history picture, appreciating and understanding The Walled Off Hotel and all of Banksy's art on display inside The Walled Off isn't just unlikely, it's not possible.
Between 1918 and 1947, while under British rule, Jews seeking refuge from Jewish extermination practices in both Germany and Russia fled to Palestine—then English territory. Without anywhere else in Europe offering safety from extermination other than England, an extremely wealthy Jewish banking family residing in the UK persuaded the British government to create a safe homeland for all Jews in their Biblical Promised Land—Palestine. That family is the Rothschild family. Up until 1918, previous to the British development of Palestinian division that drew a line between existing Jordan and Jerusalem, it's said that Muslims and Jews occupied the land together and lived peacefully.
During that 30 years, Muslims believed the dividing line was drawn unfairly and thought the land awarded to them was less prosperous. Instead of recognizing Jews as tenacious, they watched their former servants success which eventually led to anger as they became jealous of their soon to be wealthier neighbors. They've been at war with each other ever since.
In 1947, following nearly 30 years of English rule and a now 199 mile long divisional line drawn across the middle of Palestine separating Bethlehem nearest Jordan from Bethlehem nearest Israel, big oil became British priority in the Middle East—they washed their hands free from Palestine, handing the territory over to the United Nations. That's when the real chaos began; murders, suicide bombings, etc. that still exist today.
We're all caught up now right? Fast forward to 2000
Built in phases beginning in 1994, between September 2000 and July 2003, the first segment of separation, originally named "first continuous segment," was constructed by Israel while under United Nations scrutiny who opposed the wall's construction 144-4. The first barrier of electrified barbed wire fence stood two meters high (nearly 7 feet) with a 60 meter wide (197 feet) vehicle-barrier trench designed purposely to encroach Palestinian territory. In sections of Palestine, particularly the Israeli occupied Palestinian territory where The Walled Off Hotel is located, the separation wall is twice as tall as the Berlin Wall standing 27 feet high and twice as wide.
The 199 mile long divisional line created by England designed to cut through the middle of Jerusalem as suggested by the Rothschild's has since received Israeli military approval with a total completion length of 440 miles—more than double the original design. Upon completion, more than 85% of the wall's construction will occupy Palestinian territory with just 15% in Israel. The walled off section of Palestine isolated 10% of its occupants displacing roughly 25,000 Palestinians from what used to be their home, place of employment, farm, family, etc in West Bank. Banksy has since dubbed it "the worlds largest open-air prison."
I don't think a true appreciation of the art I'm about to show you is possible without mapping out the timeline. There's a lot of history and animosity worth understanding. Without this explanation, I'm defeating the purpose of his project not to mention his art work would've been difficult to understand—he has an artistic way of telling you the same story I've just explained only with a different medium.
Rumor has it, sometime near the turn of the century, Banksy began digging into the history of Palestine and West Bank. During his research, he discovered it was his own people responsible for developing the divide between the two countries who later chose to turn their back on the two countries unconcerned with the devastation they'd left behind. He felt compelled to bring national awareness to the issue. In 2003, shortly after the first completion of the West Bank Wall, Banksy toured the Palestinian territory and, while there, he painted the first mural on the wall—an eagle in a bullet-proof vest with laser sights zeroed in on its chest.
In the next two years, he assembled a team of 14 artists from around the world, including a few Palestinians, to join him in 2005 where each of them returned to Palestine and formed a collaboration he called "the ultimate activity holiday destination for graffiti writers." I snapped many pictures of the wall art with the GoPro including his first piece. During our three week stay in Israel, I snapped over 2,000 pictures covering everywhere between Tel Aviv and Jericho including West Bank, they're headed your way—one thing at a time.
For the next 10 years, the wall decorated top to bottom in graffiti art continued gaining national attention. In 2007, Banksy and his collaboration held an art fair called "Art For Hearts Sake" in Bethlehem—the location now home to The Walled Off Hotel. His intention was to bring international awareness to the destruction in Bethlehem by hosting an art exhibit and marketplace right in the middle of it—in person attendance required. Art collectors from across the world and those simply interested in a fresh Banksy attraction flocked to Bethlehem to attend. He accomplished his goal. By offering each of the displayed art exhibits for sale, he raised more than $1 million that was donated to local charities but equally important, everyone who attended the exhibit could relate to his inspiration and explain what they've seen. The exhibit was held at the base of the illegally constructed (declared illegal by the U.N) 27 foot wall encompassing Palestinians that prevents them from entering their own land as well as the heavily armed, 99 checkpoints required to pass prior to visiting family and friends, grocery shopping, employment, etc.
During the exhibit and while he and his assembled team were painting West Bank in Bethlehem, according to a spokesperson for Banksy, he was repeatedly threatened and harassed by Israeli military. In an interview after the event, when asked about the threats, he politely avoided the question by saying "during my visit to Palestine I felt safe."
In 2017, Banksy again returned to Palestine motivated by the international media coverage his messages were receiving. This time he had a bigger plan. He collaborated with a notable academic, Doctor David Grindon and, together, they designed the hotel boutique in Bethlehem located 25 miles from Ben Gurion Airport. The Walled Off Hotel stands less than 20 feet from the base of the wall and directly under an Israeli controlled guard tower. Inside the lobby is a museum with detailed history about the wall along with an elaborate display of some of Banksy's finest creations—we're almost there.
The hotel has a total of 10 rooms, each booked several months in advance and the hotel's theme is Banksy designed as well: "The World's Worst View." Since the opening of the hotel, Bethlehem's tourism increased by more than 140,000 visitors per year who, like me, are unequivocally aware of the current crisis between Israel and Palestine. Now I'm doing things like this—spreading the word. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the reason for this lengthy introduction.
All images - GoPro Hero 5 Black
The lighting inside the lobby is dark and only his pieces have light fixtures directed toward them. After entering the double doors pictured above, you pass through a heavy fabric'd, burgundy colored curtain and you're inside the hotel lobby. This next one is looking back at the entrance doors.
I had no idea I was looking at $2.3 million while snapping this next photo. It's called Triptych, "Mediterranean Sea View 2017," a three-piece oil painting of the Mediterranean Coast covered in life jackets as a memorial to asylum seekers and refugees who died in the ocean. About a month after we left, Banksy sold this piece and donated the $2.3 million to Bethlehem Hospital to fund a stroke unit and children's rehabilitation.
Directly under that painting, resting on the mantle is a tattered wooden sailboat he carved—everything inside the lobby is his creation. The message under the boat deserves its own zoom.
Next is a replica of the guard tower standing above the hotel, he painted it as a swing with children playing on it.
It's tough to say which is my favorite so I won't try but I really liked this next one. Rather than showing the weapon in the portraits right hand, a vase is staged in front of the painting and the hotel's front desk replaces the flowers daily.
Simple piece but the creativity behind the message is genius.
The first of these next two is a cat clawing at a caged bird. He did a really good job with them, they looked real. I don't know the message behind it, if you think you got it, let me know in the comment section. The cage is hanging at the end of the bar if that helps. The second looks like a futuristic dozer with jets flying in the background destroying an aged village—don't miss the drones on the wall (left side).
These next three are the entrance to the 10 rooms upstairs. The first is a pair of bowled gold fish—not sure what that's about. On the book shelf directly below the gold fish and to the left is an armless, white statue piece like an award, that's your room key.
After checking in to your room, you're issued that room key. Touch the key to the light switch just to the right of the book shelf, the statue's nipples light up red. The red lights activate the door switch and the book shelf opens to a staircase that leads to your room.
These next three... The first one, with a lot going on over and behind it, is a grand piano that played itself the entire time. Check out the crucifix on the back wall turned grappling hook.
Take your time, zoom in, let me know what you think about all the surveillance equipment in the third one. Innate talent at getting his point across.
Four more. These final four images were taken at the museum inside the hotel designed to memorialize West Bank—a small room roughly 30x50 on the opposite side of the bar. The first one is an animated mannequin who collects your entrance fee. He welcomes you, tells you what to look for, accepts your fee and puts it in the drawer. Out of eight of us on the tour, Pura and I were the only ones who experienced the museum—I don't know what that's about either.
The second features a broken wall in the middle of the room with a sewing machine next to it. On the opposite side of that wall was an old black telephone—rotary type. When the phone rang, I didn't know I was supposed to answer it. Then I read the passage above it, I wish I would've taken a picture. The passage said something to the extent of 'recorded message Palestinians receive moments prior to their neighborhood being destroyed.' That got my attention—next time it rang I answered.
Even telling you about it is an eerie memory, I can't imagine being on the receiving end of the actual call. The phone rang, 'Hello?' The recorded line sounded something like this: "This is Israeli military forces. Your neighborhood and everything you own will be destroyed in five minutes. You'll receive a second warning with one remaining minute. Leave now or lose your life."
Could you imagine that?! I don't know how the person on the receiving end of that phone call managed. While we continued looking around the phone rang again.
"This is your final warning. Your neighborhood will be destroyed in less than one minute."
Take your time. Those signs have seen a lot. They're still protesting over there, even during a pandemic. They protest every Friday and risk death or jail. In July, 2020, an emergency government was voted in Israel and the Prime Minister of 11 years lost the vote to his rival who will take over the position in January 2022. As of right now, Israel has several outside nations including U.S and U.K urging them to stop construction of the wall but Palestinians want construction stopped as well as the demolition of what's been done.
Talks supposedly continue about removal of the wall but as it stands today, it's just talk. Plans to remove the wall have yet to be made but new construction is at least on pause at the moment.
Sources:
British Empire/Middle East And The Holy Land • Banksy in Palestine • The Walled Off Hotel • Israeli West Bank Barrier • Come All Ye Faithful Banksy in Bethlehem • A Look into The Israeli West Bank Wall • Walled off: 12 years of Israel’s separation barrier
