Palestinian Art - Palestinian Artists in The Arab World

Palestinian Artists in The Arab World

Originating from the Palestinian culture that crystallized in the refugee camps mainly in Lebanon and Jordan, Palestinian artists in the Arab world were among the first to put forward a vision of Palestinian contemporary art. As the Palestinian Authority became more central to Palestinian nationalism, their number and influence in the Palestinian art field has decreased, and diasporic Palestinian artists in Europe and the United States, have become increasingly prominent.

One such artist whose works were exhibited in the Made in Palestine exhibit that toured the United States in 2005 is Mustafa Al-Hallaj.

Born in what is now Israel, Al-Hallaj is known throughout the Arab world, where he has been described as "Syria's most famous artist" and an "icon of contemporary Arab graphic arts." Al Hallaj died in 2002 in a fire at his home while trying to save his artwork. In Self-Portrait as God, the Devil, and Man, Al-Hallaj uses rows of overlapping images and intricate etchings that took 10 years to complete to present "an epic retelling of the history of Palestinians from the 11th century B.C. to the present."

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