The Cave of the Patriarchs in the Old City of Hebron embodies a unique spatial protocol which ensures coexistence. This Herodian-era monument includes a series of subterranean chambers sacred to both Judaism and Islam, each gaining full use of the space for ten days a year. In this swift and carefully choreographed changing of hands, unexpected collaborative actions define 'objects' as ideological and territorial agents.
Two plans of the cave depict two distinct interiors in two distinct events – a synagogue, and a mosque – overlapping in space but not in time.
The cutting plane is set to the highest point possible. It forgoes traditional drawing standards and abolishes all hierarchies between figure and background. The image describes a world over which every interior element has equal hold.
Fieldwork was carried out prior to drawing. The site was carefully measured and documented during Jewish exception when the cave is open exclusively for Jews. From sacred books to generic plastic chairs, every object and its arrangement was studied to show the unique use of interior space. Since entering during Muslim exception was not allowed, the Mosque’s layout was assembled from various formal and informal sources, including websites, social media feeds, and YouTube videos. At times, even the smallest detail hiding in the background of publicly available selfie pictures was used to complete the drawing.