The event will be staged both in Gaza itself and in art galleries around the world, but getting the artworks past Israel’s blockade won’t be easy
Over 50 Palestinian artists in Gaza are planning to stage a “biennale” exhibition, which will take place both in the Gaza strip itself and – the organisers hope – in galleries around the world.
Under the siege conditions which Israel has imposed on Gaza, getting the artwork out will be no easy feat. Around a quarter of the artists involved have previously managed to cross the border, but the rest will have to rely upon sending their work electronically, through aid workers (who are occasionally allowed to cross the borders) or by recreating their pieces remotely with the help of artists in the West Bank.
Speaking to The Guardian, 26-year-old artist Tasneem Shadat explained the decision to call the event a biennale. “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,” he said. “For us, the most important artists in the world now are the artists of Gaza.”
The organisers want the biennale to be an act of survival, which draws attention to the struggle of the Palestinian people to survive. Many of the artworks to be featured have created been under desperate conditions, by people who have been displaced from their homes and subjected to over a year of intense bombardment and the deliberate deprivation of basic necessities, including food, water and fuel. One of the installations to be featured in the exhibition - Mustafa Muhanna's Hope on the Road', a car adorned with wiith an eight-pointed star motif from traditional Palestinian heritage, which now travels through the streets of Palestine - had to be repaired after it was damanged during an airstrike.
Since October 7, Israel has inflicted large-scale destruction upon Gaza’s cultural heritage, destroying museums, visual art centres, religious buildings and archeological sites. But while it’s remarkable that artists have continued to produce work under such conditions, the biennale also aims to consider how the voices of survivors can be heard outside of their victimisation.
The project is still at its early stages and whether it comes to fruition depends on the participation of art institutions around the world. In the meantime, The Al Risan Art Museum – an organisation founded by Palestinian artists in 2021, also known as the Forbidden Museum – has launched an online fundraiser to support the project, the money from which will be used to support artists in Gaza and the production of their work.
Take a look at the gallery above for a preview of some of the works which are set to be featured. You can show your support by donating to the fundraiser here.