The company Paltel is responsible for internet and telecommunication in the West Bank. This two channel video installation looks at the towers, grates, and public image Paltel has developed over the years. Unlike capital institutions in the US and Europe, Paltel is a parent company of every other wireless and communication service in the region. It must route every call and every byte through Israeli switchboards before it relays back to the receiving end. New Media scholars such as Helga Tawil Souri have named this the digital occupation, where virtual data and communication are meticulously surveyed and harnessed by an annexing body. Elsewhere is also Airwhere faces the viewer with two screens of different sizes that are angled towards the viewer. A subwoofer in the corner of the room creates a series of square wave frequencies that mimic the generators frequently installed next to cellphone towers. The narrative of the film, while not spoken, uses text messages from cellphone conversations with a PA soldier/friend while traveling between Ramallah and his home in Jenin. The film is the first in a series of works over the past years that focus on microarchitecture, innovation, and the neocolonial pursuits that too easily go unnoticed simply because the context often makes them invisible. Elsewhere is also Airwhere was shown first in Bard’s graduate thesis exhibition and later premiered in Europe at the Center for Electronic Arts in Bergen, Norway. Indebted to many who helped shape the project, including many faculty at Bard and also in Palestine Zahir, Husam, Natasah, Christopher, the list goes on…
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