How does the home of the artist Afia Zakaria represent gender, ethnic and political discrimination?
Abstract
Afia Zakaria, an illiterate Yemenite immigrant, who endured profound ethnic and gender discrimination in Israel. Around age 80, following forced relocation to Shlomi in the far North of Israel, she transformed her small apartment, using industrial paints to cover every surface, creating a "limitless canvas" and an "infinite tapestry" of traditional ornamental patterns. Known as "The Enchanted House," this space served as her fortress and a "living manifesto of resistance" against marginalization. Her highly personal artistic practice allowed her to process trauma and reclaim her lost Yemenite identity. After her death in 2002, her unique work gained belated institutional recognition, leading to efforts to preserve the house as a cultural landmark.
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