The Missing Negatives of the Sonnenfeld Collection, 2008

For the series of black and white photographs ‘The Missing Negatives of the Sonnenfeld Collection’, Bartana selected photographs from the extensive archive of legendary photo journalists Leni and Herbert Sonnenfeld, who documented Palestine / Eretz Israel in the years 1933-1948. Adopting that same heroic style, Bartana re-staged the original photographs with the help of young Arabs and Arab Jews, who are currently residing in Israel. Portraying her models as beautiful, joyous, hopeful farmers, workers and soldiers. The series creates a utopian moment that challenges the ethos of the Zionist movement.