Two years on from the 7 October 2023 assault by Hamas in Israel and the Israeli army offensive that adopted, scores of Palestinian cultural figures have been killed and far of the territory’s cultural and historic heritage has been destroyed. However scattered throughout Gaza and past, many artists stay dedicated to sustaining their observe as an expression of reminiscence and resilience. The Artwork Newspaper spoke to a number of artists and cultural figures dwelling overseas about their experiences, the work they proceed to make and their efforts to maintain Gaza’s inventive life.
Dena Mattar, a longtime Palestinian artist and co-founder of the Eltiqa Group for Up to date Artwork, needed to cancel a scheduled on-line interview with The Artwork Newspaper. Days earlier, her uncle had been shot by Israeli forces outdoors of a hospital in Deir Al Balah and later died of his wounds. Together with her uncle’s spouse outdoors Gaza and unable to return, his 4 youngsters stay alone, a scenario that has deeply affected Mattar.
Her misery worsened after she noticed pictures of her mom and different family members trying frail and emaciated, says her husband and fellow Eltiqa co-founder, Mohammad Al-Hawajri. “Dena retains on crying,” he says. “Sadly, that is our life, that is Palestinian life.”
The couple and their 4 youngsters left Gaza in April 2024 after six months of displacement, the destruction of their dwelling and shut brushes with dying that included being trapped underneath rubble after an Israeli bombardment that killed a number of of their family members. The couple now lives in Sharjah within the United Arab Emirates.
Rebuilding their lives has not been straightforward. “It’s a really heavy time,” Al-Hawajri says, noting that a few of his family members again in Gaza inform him they need for dying to flee their scenario.
Mattar and Al-Hawajri proceed to make artwork, although they typically query the purpose of it now. Collaborating in artwork occasions, together with Abu Dhabi Artwork (19-23 November) and the Sharjah Biennial (6 February-15 June), has supplied some aid and they’re trying ahead to taking their youngsters to their group present in Italy this month, which can function works created principally in Gaza. “We proceed for our kids; we left in order that they might have a future,” Al-Hawajri says.
Whereas their types differ, Mattar and Al-Hawajri each use daring, vivid colors of their works to indicate a facet of Gaza that isn’t outlined by warfare. “This has been our job for 20 years. We attempt to preserve hope in our artwork with our colors,” Al-Hawajrisays. “I hope this warfare ends quickly. I hope I can return to Gaza. I miss my life there, my studio, my dwelling, my household and pals.”
An artwork scholarship enabled Raed Issa to maneuver to Marseille in France Courtesy Raed Issa
‘We’re outdoors of the hell’
The couple’s shut buddy and Eltiqa co-founder, Raed Issa, left Gaza in April 2025 due to a French artwork scholarship that secured his exit with the assistance of the French embassy. “We’re outdoors of the hell,” Issa tells The Artwork Newspaper from France. In 2024, he tried to depart for Egypt, however whereas his spouse and youngsters have been granted visas, he was denied. He satisfied his household to depart to with out him, promising to comply with, however, quickly after, Israeli forces closed the Philadelphi Hall on Gaza’s border with Egypt, leaving him trapped.
After over a 12 months of displacement, dwelling in a tent and fearing for his life, Issa arrived in Marseille, France. “I nonetheless can’t consider I’m outdoors of Gaza. I’ve an opportunity, thank God,” he says.
Issa left Gaza with nothing however his garments—not even his telephone. “I convey my thoughts. I don’t neglect something—camps, pals, household, streets, markets. I preserve every little thing in my thoughts,” he says, including that he has been writing down all of his experiences.
In France, Issa has lastly been capable of sleep, one thing that was not possible in Gaza. “However I really feel extra drained than after I was in Gaza,” he says, noting that the trauma has caught up with him.
After two months, his spouse and youngsters joined him in France. He was shocked by how a lot that they had grown. “I despatched a small youngster to Egypt, and I see a younger man now,” Issa says of his 15-year-old son.
A piece by Salman Nawati, now based mostly in Sweden Courtesy Salman Nawati
Salman Nawati, the co-founder of the Sahab Museum, a digital museum supporting Palestinian artists, left Gaza for Sweden in 2022. Part of the Sahab Museum’s new France-funded venture was devoted to supporting artists inside Gaza. Developed by the Hawaf Collective, which Nawati additionally co-founded, an emergency open name drew 200 functions; 39 have been chosen. Most acquired grants of €1,000, cash desperately wanted, although Nawati factors out the sum would final solely per week in Gaza given the hovering costs.
Artists similar to Ahmad Muhanna and Mohammed Alhaj shared their Sahab-funded works on social media. “It was about how we will encourage these artists to create and preserve their inventive lives,” Nawati says. The Sahab Museum was conceived in 2020, born from the sense of isolation that Nawati and others felt inside Gaza. “We desperately tried to current our artwork and tradition to the world, to indicate the facet of Gaza outsiders by no means see. However the world didn’t give us consideration. We felt remoted and it was unfair. So we determined to start out our personal museum.”
In Sweden, Nawati works as an arts trainer, co-founded the Dahleez Collective, participates in podcasts and audio artwork, and continues his personal initiatives whereas taking care of his small household. “I’m ready for a second to cease, however I can’t stand by and do nothing,” he says. “My youngsters see us and can know we didn’t sit again throughout a genocide.”
Considered one of Nawati’s current collaborations is with the A.M. Qattan Basis, a British-registered cultural charity, the place he co-founded Hassala Artwork, an pressing attraction aiming to boost $80,000 per thirty days to assist round 300 artists in Gaza. “It’s some huge cash, however we will by no means hand over,” Nawati says.
From his new base in Sweden, Salman Nawati is concerned in plenty of initiatives to assist artists in Gaza Johan Ylitalo
Push to protect
Nawati additionally sits on the board of ArtZone Palestine, an internet platform launched in November 2024 that collects digital pictures of works by Gaza-based artists. Mahmoud abu Hashhash, ArtZone’s co-founder and the director of the tradition and humanities programme at A.M. Qattan Basis within the West Financial institution, says the concept of a Palestinian digital archive got here earlier than 7 October.
“The area given to Palestinian artists, particularly rising artists, had been diminishing over the previous 5 years,” he explains. However the warfare compelled him to convey the launch ahead and focus solely on Gaza. “We began listening to about artists shedding their works. Some even burned their artwork [for firewood],” he provides, prompting them to behave to file no matter might be saved.
Contacting artists amid warfare was delicate. He started by sending private letters to shut pals, then others reached out to him. So far, the platform has gathered 1,200 pictures from round 55 artists, making a profile for every. “We additionally tried to seize this disappearing tradition and panorama of their biographies,” he says. The method is difficult; many lack good pictures of their work, the web is unreliable and a few artists should not within the psychological area to participate.
Wanting forward, abu Hashhash says the main focus will stay on Gaza, given the dimensions of destruction. He hopes to search out companions to assist print and promote works, offering monetary assist for the artists. “Gaza is the costliest place on earth proper now,” he says. “They need assistance.”
