In Ramallah, Running

The perambulatory essays at the heart of this collaborative work seek to engage a landscape that, at times, appears foreign even to itself. Mannes-Abbott is a London-based critic engaged in an ongoing writing project dubbed "e.things," of which this text is the latest addition. In it, he visits the often misrepresented and misunderstood occupied Palestinian city of Ramallah, jogging through its landscape and capturing his impressions in a series of brief essays. From this text, a diverse array of artists and writers delivered responses, ranging from diary fragments to paintings. Mannes-Abbott's geo- and topographical descriptions provide a fertile base for collaboration. However, as he forges friendships with locals and repeatedly puts himself in dangerous situations for the purpose of the project, it's hard not to wonderforget that mannes-Abbott is a Westerner if a non-Palestinian Londoner is the best person to illuminatein a city gripped by so much discord. Although cClaims like "in lovely Ramallah itself, there is no freedom" feel brazen for an outsider to make, regardless of their veracityring true. As Emily Jacir adds in her contribution, "we are constantly dissected and examined by foreign %E2%80%98experts' who %E2%80%98explain' who we supposedly are." Occasional insights aside, Mannes-Abbott's sweeping voice and universalizing statements seem tomight seem to implicate the project in this exploitive tradition despite itsbut his good intentions are good as are his insights. Color and b&w illus. (July)