MORE than 30 creatives, including Palestinians, are showcasing colourful artworks to express their solidarity with the people of Gaza and highlight the heartache they have been enduring following the Israeli blitz since October last year.
The exhibition, titled October 7, organised by the Bahrain Contemporary Art Association, in collaboration with Palestine Embassy and Zeus Gallery, is being held at the association’s headquarters in Manama until October 28.
Palestinian Ambassador Taher Qader opened the event that comprises around 45 artworks, including drawings, paintings and sculptures. Several officials and diplomats attended.
The showcase aims to mark the year-long conflict that erupted when Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 people, last year on October 7. Israel’s retaliatory offensive in Gaza has since then killed more than 42,065 Palestinians and wounded around 97,880.
Bahraini artist Salah Sayed is showcasing the harrowing experiences of families who have lost their loved ones and have been fleeing areas fearing attacks and struggling for the basic amenities including food, water and shelter.
“As you can see in my art, it shows a Palestinian woman warmly embracing her child for the last time after he was martyred in a violent raid carried out by the Israeli military on the city of Rafah in southern Gaza,” the 61-year-old from Manama told the GDN.
“As an artist, sharing work that highlights the brutal violence against Palestinians is the least we can do. As creatives, it’s our job to share stories through paintings.”
An Associated Press investigation identified at least 60 Palestinian families where at least 25 people were killed – sometimes four generations from the same bloodline – in bombings between October and December last year, the deadliest and most destructive period of the war. Nearly a quarter of those families lost more than 50 family members in those weeks.
Meanwhile, Bahraini creative Zuhair Algdehe said he was honoured to be a part of the event, describing it as his ‘most important one yet’.
“My participation in this event is very important to me and it reinforces how important it is for artists to use their skill to shed light on the ongoing violence in Gaza,” he said, adding that his art highlights the horrible attacks against children.
At least 11,355 children have been brutally killed in the enclave since the start of the war.
In addition, more than 10 children on average have lost one or both of their legs everyday in the war-torn area with many amputations performed without anesthesia, according to Unicef. Most of the hospitals have been obliterated while those that remain are struggling due to lack of medicines and other facilities. The humanitarian aid organisation added that children were nearly seven times more likely to die from blast wounds than adults as they are more vulnerable to sensitive injuries.
“During this war, children can do nothing but pray and they constantly live in panic and fear,” Mr Algdehe said.
“They are witnessing horrible scenes which leave psychological scars, which are very difficult to overcome,” the 23-year-old from Bilad Al Qadeem added.
Russian artist Alexandria Novik-Khamis, who has been living in Bahrain for more than 14 years, believes art has the power to shine a bright spotlight on the carnage being carried out in Gaza.
“Supporting Palestine through art is important and it speaks to the heart of our shared humanity,” she said.
“I believe art can highlight the truth and foster understanding in ways words cannot.
“Together we can amplify voices and narratives that deserve to be heard.”
julia@gdnmedia.bh
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