Detention

Detention

Freestanding blue metal door mounted on a rectangular frame inside a plain white room. The door has a small wire-mesh window, a latch lock, and a white handle, with a ring of keys handing from a hook on the side. Surface shows visible wear and streaks of lighter paint, and the frame supports the door so it can stand independently for demonstration or display.

Kobitz, Harry

The over seventy-five-year occupation of Palestine affects people both in its land and in the diaspora. Facing the harshest consequences of the occupation would likely be those detained and their families—there are thousands of Palestinians held under a military court without trial. Detention is an interactive 3D assemblage of found objects and cut plywood finished to mimic the prison door one would see in an Israeli prison. Under administrative detention, Palestinians struggle to get support from beyond the walls—whether that be emotional, physical, or legal support. Aside the door hangs a hook containing a ring of different keys. Viewers are invited to try any of the seventy-five keys to unlock the cell door for small a glimpse at Palestinian resilience.

2025