By Susan Shinn

For The Salisbury Post

Life in Israel is hard, says Dr. Sanford Silverburg, who has family there.

Art exhibits such as the one at UNCG help shed light on this difficult situation, says Silverburg, a former chairman of the political science department at Catawba College. “Art is an expression of an individual’s creativity, their personality, their background and their orientation. It’s about their personal outlook on a theme.”

Artists who have lived in Israel have been shaped by events in the region.

“There is an artists’ colony in Northern Israel,” Silverburg says. “You can see almost anything you want in terms of artwork.”

Palestinian art, he says, tends to be more nationalistic, while Israeli art is more expressive.

“Palestinians have a quality of life that is significantly different,” he says. “Psychologically, they are oppressed and repressed. That affects their art.”

Tensions in the region serve to heighten the sense of insecurity between the two groups, Silverburg says. “They live with that on a daily basis.”

He last visited Palestine in April 2014, speaking at Hebron University in Jerusalem. It was the first time he’d been invited to the university. Its law school was hosting a conference about the use of technology in teaching the law. The paper he presented there will be published in a book in the next couple of months, he says.

Silverburg’s family members in Israel, he says, have a wide range of political views. Israelis, he says, are concerned about America and American support.

Silverburg personally believes in a two-state solution for the area. But, he says, in order to resolve a conflict, two parties must interact on an equal basis. “Palestine has yet to create a single unified governmental system.”

“My idea of peace is creating stability where both parties come to an agreement, within an elastic range,” he notes.

In the meantime, art is one way to bridge the gap between cultures.

“It’s important for Americans to view non-American artists, to discover how people around the world express themselves through literature, art and music,” Silverburg says. “The subject matter is an important part of their education and awareness of the world around them.”

Freelance writer Susan Shinn lives in Salisbury.