Palestinian artists in Gaza organise Biennale to raise global awareness amid siege

In the midst of ongoing conflict and suffering in Gaza, a group of Palestinian artists has come together to organize a unique act of defiance: a “Biennale” exhibition.  

Palestinian artists in Gaza are planning to organize a “biennale” exhibition as a bold response to Israel’s ongoing military assault and to draw global attention to the hardships faced by the territory’s 2.3 million residents under more than 13 months of bombardment, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

Around 50 artists from Gaza will showcase their works within the besieged region, while also seeking international galleries to host their exhibitions. However, they face a significant challenge in getting their art beyond the Israeli siege lines.

About a quarter of the artists have managed to travel to Egypt earlier in the conflict. For those remaining in Gaza, some will attempt to send their works with aid workers occasionally allowed to cross the border, while others will share images and videos electronically. 

A few artists are collaborating with counterparts in the West Bank to reconstruct their work remotely. Tasneem Shatat, a 26-year-old from Khan Younis and a key figure behind the initiative, explained why the artists chose to model their proposed exhibition after biennales held in major cities like Venice. "The biggest artistic events in the world are called biennales, hosting the world’s most important artists to address the most important things in the world through their art. For us, the most important artists in the world now are the artists of Gaza," Shatat said. 

The name also serves as a declaration of their intention for the biennale to become a recurring event, signaling that Gaza and its artists will persist for at least another two years. The initiative began as an artistic response to the efforts to dehumanize Gaza's Palestinians. Initially, it was born out of conversations between artists trying to stay in touch with one another, not only to ensure their survival but also to continue creating art despite the dangers and severe shortages of food. 

“The war has stolen so much from us and the people of Gaza, and it continues to take everything, yet the world remains silent,” Shatat said. “We want international institutions to host these drawings and paintings and display them. We won’t repeat the stories the world already knows well, but we will share the rebirth of the darkness of injustice, and we will tell you about life amidst death.”

 The organizers believe that if a venue is found abroad to host the Gaza Biennale, it will be a historic event: artists, besieged and starving, managing to hold an exhibition on the global stage. Muhammad al-Hajj, a 42-year-old artist and teacher sheltering in the Nuseirat camp in central Gaza, has tried to keep up his drawing despite the dire circumstances.

“There is a lack of food and water, no tents, and we are on the brink of winter,” Hajj said. “At the same time, I am short on pens, colors, and paints. Even if they do become available, they are priced several times higher than usual.”

By Naila Huseynova