- Title: WEST BANK: Palestinian artist exhibits 15 years of work in West Bank gallery
- Date: 22nd April 2014
- Summary: RAMALLAH, WEST BANK (RECENT - APRIL 9, 2014) (REUTERS) SCULPTURE BY PALESTINIAN ARTIST KHALED HOURANI, SHOWING THE PALESTINIAN ARAB IDOL SINGER MOHAMMED ASSAF PEOPLE AT EXHIBITION VARIOUS OF MAN LOOKING AT PAINTINGS VARIOUS OF PEOPLE AT EXHIBITION VARIOUS OF ART WORK WITH WRITING (Arabic): 'SALAAM ALAIKUM' CRITICISING NOBEL PRIZE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PALESTINIAN ARTIST, KHALED HOURANI, SAYING: "It is not only about Mohammed Assaf, the Arab Idol winner, it is more about the phenomenon of the Arab Idol. It is about the phenomenon of the symbol that people need." SCULPTURES OF ASSAF PEOPLE LOOKING AT SCULPTURES SCULPTURES OF ASSAF (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PALESTINIAN ARTIST, KHALED HOURANI, SAYING: "I liked the phenomenon of Mohammed Assaf, and I voted for him but in the other hand I was afraid that how people force this young man to do more than he can. Normal people, the presidential authority, even the United Nations wanted Assaf to fight. In the artwork I tried to discuss the phenomena of the symbol. I am asking the question: what if?" VARIOUS OF PEOPLE AT EXHIBITION WOMAN LOOKING AT ARTWORK DEPICTING LATE PALESTINIAN PRESIDENT YASSER ARAFAT (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) VISITOR, JAMEEL KHADER, SAYING: "This portrait, Abu Ammar portrait, is so beautiful. It has the idea of memory. The picture itself is about the 9th anniversary of his death, but if you look at it you can see the picture fades. It is about where is the memory of Abu Ammar in the mind of the Palestinian people." VARIOUS OF VISITORS AT EXHIBITION VARIOUS OF PAINTINGS OF PIGEONS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) VISITOR, SAHAR DAOUD, SAYING: "Today in the exhibition, we can say that behind each portrait there is a story. All the portraits are about Palestinian stories, for example Mahmoud Darwish. Each painting has a story from our struggle, history and heritage." VARIOUS OF EXHIBITION AND VISITORS
- Embargoed: 7th May 2014 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: West bank
- City:
- Country: Palestinian Territories
- Topics: People
- Reuters ID: LVAB13C2O7I34KHQP3OXX52IRSPT
- Story Text: Palestinian artist Khaled Hourani showed art works produced over 15 years at his first retrospective exhibition in the West Bank city of Ramallah.
Hourani has influenced the growth and perception of contemporary art in the Palestinian territories and said each of the 18 artworks in the exhibition, which opened on Wednesday (April 9), had its own tale to tell.
A number of small-sized wax sculptures of the Palestinian Arab Idol winner, Mohammed Assaf were displayed in the first gallery. The 49-year-old artist said that the wax statuettes address the phenomenon and difficulties of becoming an instant pop icon.
"It is not only about Mohammed Assaf, the Arab Idol winner, it is more about the phenomenon of the Arab Idol. It is about the phenomenon of the symbol that people need," Hourani said.
"I liked the phenomenon of Mohammed Assaf, and I voted for him but in the other hand I was afraid that how people force this young man to do more than he can. Normal people, the presidential authority even the United Nations wanted Assaf to fight. In the artwork I tried to discuss the phenomena of the symbol. I am asking the question: what if?," he added.
Hourani, who is the initiator of the project 'Picasso in Palestine' and is also a curator and art critic, has had several solo exhibitions, both locally and internationally.
One of his works criticises the Nobel Peace Prize with a panel emblazoned in bold red script, the words, 'Salaam Alaikum', the Arabic greeting of 'Peace be with you'.
He also evokes the late Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, through nine ghostly images on one canvas; each one is clearer and more distinct than the previous.
"This portrait, Abu Ammar portrait, is so beautiful. It has the idea of memory. The picture itself is about the 9th anniversary of his death, but if you look at it you can see the picture fades. It is about where is the memory of Abu Ammar in the mind of the Palestinian people," said one visitor, Jameel Khader.
Hourani also commemorates the late poet Mahmoud Darwish in the exhibition, through a series of works; the first is white, second has words from the poem 'wall', and the last one is black, symbolising Darwish's death.
Palestinian visitor to the exhibition, Sahar Daoud, said that she could understand the stories behind each portrait.
"Today in the exhibition, we can say that behind each portrait there is a story. All the portraits are about Palestinian stories, for example Mahmoud Darwish. Each painting has a story from our struggle, history and heritage," she added.
Hourani also highlights the world of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, who are barred from practising many professions, through a painting with the words 'Every refugee in Lebanon is an artist unless proven otherwise.' The exhibition continues until May 15.
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