The Palestinian Museum announced today the appointment of Amer Shomali as General Director, who will begin his tenure on the 4th of October 2023.
Amer Shomali is a Palestinian artist with a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from Birzeit University and a Master’s degree in Animation from Bournemouth University in the United Kingdom. He is currently based in Ramallah and teaches at the Faculty of Arts, Music, and Design at Birzeit University. His artistic works are featured in collections at The British Museum, The Arab World Institute, MUCEM, the Barjeel Art Foundation, and the Birzeit University Museum, while other works have been featured in Palestinian Museum exhibitions.
Shomali co-directed the animated documentary film The Wanted 18, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2014 and received the best documentary award in Abu Dhabi, Carthage, Traverse City, and the Al Jazeera Film Festivals. The film was long-listed for Best Foreign Language Film and for Best Documentary at the 88th Academy Awards.
Omar al-Qattan, Chairman of the Palestinian Museum’s Board of Directors, expressed the selection committee’s conviction of Amer Shomali’s deep understanding of the challenges facing Palestinian culture in general, adding: ‘Amer Shomali is among the oldest friends of the Palestinian Museum and has collaborated with it on several exhibitions and programs. He brings a fresh and ambitious vision for its future while having a keen awareness of its potential and of the challenges that it faces.’
Shomali expressed his appreciation and gratitude for this opportunity saying: ‘I look forward to being a part of the Museum team and of contributing to its journey of achievement, while also building upon its past experiences and learning from them to expand the Museum’s base and establish it as a reinvigorated space for reflection, dreaming and storytelling.’
The Palestinian Museum – Non-Governmental Association is dedicated to supporting an open and vibrant Palestinian culture locally and internationally. The Museum presents and contributes to new narratives on Palestinian history, culture, and society from a new perspective. It also offers spaces for creative ventures, educational programs, and innovative research. The Palestinian Museum is Swiss-registered with a branch in Palestine.
Source: Palestine News & Information Agency