My Homeland is the Content and My World the Language of Art Despite waves of modernist abstraction and deconstruction that have stormed through art, destroying meaning, fragmenting form and obliterating the clues to traditional symbolism, the Palestinian artist has tirelessly pursued issues of national importance, be it in terms of expression, form or content Relying on their history and experience, Palestinian artists have presented threads of creativity, intense feeling, and an imagination inspired by the Palestinian cause and the sense of belonging to the homeland, thus expressing the Palestinian reality Although the Palestinian artist comes up against extreme daily socio-political pressures that are rich with meaning and symbolism, he demonstrates creativity, not only in terms of ideas, but also through his artistic techniques and styles, showing that Palestinian art moves within a large space and uses a universal language. He thus succeeds in expressing a universal message, both by forging direct narrative or symbolic works, or through pure, abstract compositions – embodiments of real experience, with all its challenges, memories, hopes and dreams. His is an arduous artistic path that demonstrates Palestinian perseverance. Whether through his migrations or by clinging to space and time, the Palestinian artist was never very far from the influence of established artistic cultures. The works displayed in this exhibition indicate a variety of expression and creative techniques. In addition to showing the Palestinian artist's capacity for innovation and his use of an artistic vocabulary, these works clearly express the creative human energy embodied in the Palestinian individual – innovations that contribute to establishing his roots and his presence through love, generosity and vitality. Furthermore, this exhibition confirms that the experiences of the Palestinian woman in contemporary art have made her a prominent and effective presence on the Palestinian art scene. Throughout the stages of her development, the Palestinian woman artist has contributed to the founding and development of the Palestinian art movement. Mazen Asfour, Ph.D. |