Ahlain

An exhibition of photographs taken by Owen Godbert during various visits to Palestine between 2016 and 2019 as a volunteer for SkatePal - a non-profit organisation supporting communities throughout Palestine, promoting the social, health and wellbeing benefits of skateboarding to enhance the lives of local youth.

"Writing anything about Palestine with a limited number of words is very challenging. Every person I have met over the years has shared so much, not just the endless tea, coffee and food, but also their stories. Attempting to do justice to those here feels near impossible!

As skateboarding has been the focus of my visits, during which I have always been based in Asira Ash-Shamlia (near Nablus), I feel I have been deeply lucky to have witnessed the development of a community that has grown around the skatepark and the birth of a local skateboarding scene.

Skateboarding can offer empowerment and in many ways be an act of resistance. Although I feel it is important and necessary to explore this further, I will have to just hope the photos speak for themselves and leave you with this quote from my good friend Abdullah: “Skateboarding gives a message to the occupation: no matter what they do and no matter how many walls they build, and how many people they kill, we will keep living our lives, because we are human beings too, and we deserve to live.”’

- Owen

All photos taken on 35mm film. Black and white prints handmade by Owen in the darkrooms at Stills Gallery, Edinburgh. Colour photographs printed by A&M imaging.

Prints are available to buy with all proceeds going to SkatePal to help them continue their work with young people in Palestine.