Posters for Gaza: An artistic call for humanity
A powerful artistic rally against injustice…
In a stirring display of solidarity, Zawyeh Gallery in Alserkal Avenue has unveiled its latest group exhibition, Posters for Gaza. This compelling showcase features the works of 26 talented Palestinian and Arab artists, each contributing their unique voice to shed light on the ongoing atrocities in the Gaza Strip.
The heart of the exhibition beats with an impassioned call for a cease-fire and the recognition of the fundamental rights of Palestinians to live freely. What makes this exhibition particularly poignant is that four of the participating artists hail from Gaza, lending an even more personal and heartfelt dimension to their creations.
Uniformly sized and designed in a simplified manner, the posters reflect uniqueness in terms of style, materials, and the underlying narratives. Steering away from the digital norm, participating artists poured their effort into producing those posters, utilising a variety of materials, including acrylics, inks, charcoal, collage, and mixed media.
Tapping into the posters’ subjects, the themes vary, yet all the artists call for humanity to prevail. Themes that address human rights violations in Gaza, are evident in the works All Rights Not Reserved by Hosni Radwan and We Are Doing Fine in Gaza… What About You? by Khaled El Haber. Gazan artist Mohammed Joha encapsulates anxiety and worries towards his family living in Gaza in his poster Sleepless, and the heavy weight of grief and melancholy also manifests in Gazan artist Hazem Harb’s poster. Meanwhile, Hassan Manasrah and Vera Tamari call for the freedom of Palestine, while artists, Bashar Alhroub, Wadei Khaled and Iraqi artist Reda Alyasari, focus on the warmth of family and motherhood.
A nod to history, the exhibition revives a longstanding tradition in Palestinian activism. Political posters, a potent form of expression, were prolifically produced during the ‘70s and ‘80s by the Palestinian Liberation Organisation, drawing contributions from Palestinian, Arab, and international artists. These visual narratives played a pivotal role in garnering global support for the justice of the Palestinian cause, championing values of freedom, dignity, resilience, and the unyielding pursuit of independence.
Original posters are for sale from Dhs3,000. Poster copies are available to purchase online for Dhs300 with proceeds providing much-needed medical aid to affected children in Gaza through the Palestinian Red Crescent.
Posters and their artists:
1. Reda Alyasari – Embrace
2. Bashar Alhroub – Mariam
3. Hosni Radwan – All Rights Not Reserved – Gaza
4. Hazem Harb – They are now stealing your skin
5. Hassan Manasrah – Palestinian Woman
6. Vera Tamari – Gaza, From the rubble soars life
7. Wadei Khaled – We Palestine
8. Yazan Abu Salameh – Not Numbers
9. Mohammed Joha – Sleepless
10. Issam Al-Haj Ibrahim – The Orange Tree
11. Khaled El Haber – We are doing fine in Gaza…what about you?!
Zawyeh Gallery, Alserkal Avenue, A Quoz, daily 10am to 6pm until April 21. Tel: (0)58 592 5667. zawyeh.net
Images: Supplied