A project about communication structures and codification of the Palestinian political prisoners
I started the research about codification during my stays in Israel and the Occupied Territories/West Bank for the participatory public art project Bait al Karama. In numerous talks and interviews with the local people, I was intrigued by how communication could work in restricted situations like for the Palestinian political prisoners. Of course, there are methods to cipher and distribute but that is a technical aspect. Creating a parallel system of communication by changing text and technique happens in order to satisfy the need for communication, an activity that is a constituting element of the being.
Communication creates a space in which the being can take place. In extreme situations like detention, one becomes communication aware and new technology will be implemented.
What is the other way around: bring into awareness the inherent qualities of the being by presenting architectures of communication?
The work of Imprisoned Codes not only is a codified text system but is containing all the stories of the people I talked with, telling me their experiences, wishes, and beliefs, regarding their life as well as the collective in this specific political situation. The material I used is related to the Palestinian experiences as well. For example, the rolling paper as smoking cigarettes in diverse situations has specific importance for the Palestinians.