We are heartbroken and we feel powerless watching events unfold in Palestine. Israel attacks innocent civilian Palestinians or tries to displace them, and we can not stop it. If you are old enough to remember though you might have noticed a shift in the narrative. Globally, people are no longer reliant only on mainstream media and we’re seeing so many diverse voices that are informing, supporting and educating. Almost instantly we also saw artists use their medium and craft to help reach even more people. While art might seem inconsequential, it is subversive, revolutionary and can help change the story. It is a visual form of resistance that we can share on social media or wear on T-shirts to show solidarity. It can be sold to raise funds. But most importantly, it is a tool, and we intend to use anything and everything we have to change the situation.
This is why the bazaar team reached out to a wide network of local and regional artists to deliver you this curated selection as our last form of revolt. They can remove Instagram posts, delete our stories, but art will always stay. #FreePalestine
Sheikha Al Habshi @coffeeandcastoffs – Artist and illustrator from Kuwait
Sheikha’s art is mainly centered around identity and self-care as a form of coping in a highly technological age. She uses her art as her own way of taking up space, raising questions of gender roles and tradition in a culture where privacy plays an important role.
What the art represents: The illustration I had created was made out of the complete shock I had felt with the lack of people talking about what was happening in Palestine and Sheikh Jarrah. I wanted to illustrate the fact that sometimes being “neutral” is a political stand and that can result in standing with the oppressor.
Adra Kandil @dear.nostalgia – Visual artist from Lebanon
Adra Kandil, is a female visual artist and designer known as Dear Nostalgia. Born in the autumn of 1993, and raised in Beirut, her artistic inclination began on a trip to Barcelona where she received her undergraduate degree in creative advertising and branding and a Master’s degree in innovation for design. She combines nostalgic, dreamy images with culturally relevant cues, showcasing a visual commentary on modern-day issues. Her work contrasts a retro aesthetic, with bright pop colors, and modern typography, aiming to provide a visual representation of the struggles and aspirations of her generation. “I would describe my work as a recollection of memories in the Middle East. A juxtaposition of vintage and present-day photographs that express and explore my relationship with home, my childhood, and my constant search for identity as a woman in a region of constant turmoil and conflict. My artwork addresses issues related to culture, gender equality, female empowerment, and social and political change in the Middle East, with emphasis on Lebanon,” Adra explained.
What the art represents: A pain entrenched in the past and present. A pain I could not stay silent about. A struggle of generations, of land, of our history in the Middle East, that I had to channel. Palestine is our land, our home, it will not be erased. Art is my voice, my revolution, to evoke conversations about the things that matter, and this is a pillar of the importance we must discuss to catalyze change.
Norah AlJassar @notnorrah – Illustrator from Kuwait
Norah Al Jassar is a self-taught illustrator. Most of her work revolves around the world and events around her. She specializes in modern lettering in both Arabic and English and incorporates them with fun digital art. She loves to do art for the purpose of art. Norah employed this talent in this campaign as she strongly believes in the Palestinian cause.
What the art represents: Arriving as a collaboration between Norah, Dr. Abdullah AlAbduljaleel and Teeplus, this project came about when Dr. Abdullah AlAbduljaleel approached Norah with the idea of creating something that they could both work on and sell for charity as they both wanted to help Palestine in the way that they could. They collaborated with a printing company called TeePlus and they helped with printing and shipping the t-shirts to the customers making the collaboration much much easier. Earnings from the campaign went to the Palestine fund at KRCS. Each shirt purchased was a contribution that to help sponsor an impoverished family and put food on their table, or it might buy life- saving medical supplies for a Palestinian kid, or even alleviate the suffering of an elder Palestinian with special needs.
Fatemah Dashti @fatemahsthoughts – Illustrator from Kuwait
Fatemah Dashti describes her art as an extension of who she is as a person. She works both digitally and uses different mediums such as acrylic paint and oil pastels. Fatemah creates art based on her day-to-day emotions and personal experiences. And she likes to touch on relevant and relatable subjects like mental health, feminism, self-love and self-confidence. Eyes are a constant motif in her art and Fatemah explained that they are a representation of society. Her use of Arabic helps her make sense of her feelings especially in the society she lives in. Her artwork is based between Kuwait and Liverpool, UK.
What the art represents: Standing in solidarity with the people of Palestine.
Shalala @Wadaniart – Cartoonist based in Kuwait
Shalala is a cartoonist based in Kuwait. She likes drawing webcomic strips titled “Shalala thoughts” and animated videos about Shalala, her girlfriends and her cat Tuna.
What the art represents: Shalala was not inspired, but rather enraged, after she had seen a video taken by Israeli snipers who were targeting two kids that were just standing in the distance. The two soldiers were laughing and adjusting their aim while deciding which kid to target for fun. One says “Just hit that one who’s been ducking for an hour” and proceeded to shoot him in the head while laughing. She states, “That clip just hurt my heart so much that I had to draw something about it.”
Farah Bastaki @TheBiscuitStudio – Kuwaiti artist and illustrator
Farah Bastaki is a Kuwaiti designer & illustrator with a current focus on typography and hand-lettering. She also makes things and sells them on her online art shop thebiscuitsstudio.com.
What the art represents: Simple yet powerful, Farah echoes a statement that is constantly being washed out and ignored by mainstream media, using interesting typography in both English and Arabic to state, “It’s called Palestine.”
Nada Dalloul @nadameow – Kuwait based artist and Illustrator
Nada is an illustrator and doodler, inspired by the absurdities of humanity. She is currently based in Kuwait.
What the art represents: An ode to the rich culture of Palestine, a man and woman are adorned in traditional attire and the Kuffiyeh; a symbol of resistance. The key they are carrying is the key to their house- a popular Palestinian symbol for their right to return to their homeland. Inspired by Palestinian resistance art, particularly the works of Abdul Rahman Al-Muzayen, Nada chose to draw them as older- an homage to the generations before us who set the example of resilience and to commemorate 73 years of the ongoing Nakba.
