- Title: Gazan teenager draws on Palestinian Nakba through artwork
- Date: 15th May 2017
- Summary: GAZA CITY, GAZA (MAY 15, 2017) (REUTERS) VIEW OF EXHIBITION OF GAZAN ARTIST AMER RADWAN PEOPLE AT EXHIBITION PORTRAITS BY RADWAN PEOPLE LOOKING AT PORTRAITS AT EXHIBITION EXHIBITION VISITOR TAKING PICTURE OF A PORTRAIT VARIOUS OF RADWAN TALKING TO VISITOR (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) TEENAGE ARTIST, AMER RADWAN, SAYING: "I talked about our Nakba because the people who lived through it were our elderly ancestors, the elders have started to pass away and if they pass away, the Palestinian cause will disappear and so will the Palestinian heritage. Therefore, I drew about the Palestinian cause to revive it in our children, the emerging generation so it would grow with them and so the Palestinian heritage would remain and it would not be wiped out nor would the Palestinian cause." VARIOUS OF RADWAN DRAWING RADWAN HANGING ONE OF HIS PORTRAITS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) TEENAGE ARTIST, AMER RADWAN, SAYING: "Whoever went through the Nakba would be a grandfather or of old age, so the wrinkles reflect old age, elders with their wrinkles, their old age, their heritage and traditional clothes are an evidence and a main symbol of the Palestinian cause, the Palestinian Nakba." PORTRAITS BY RADWAN VARIOUS OF RADWAN TALKING TO EXHIBITION VISITOR, KHALED SAFI (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) VISITOR, KHALED SAFI, SAYING: "Through the tales of the ancestors, Amer was able to focus on a very important cause, which is the Nakba in the eyes of the ancestors. He was able to show us the history of our ancestors through portraits that he draws of the Palestinian faces that have lived through the Nakba." RADWAN TALKING TO VISITORS PORTRAITS BY RADWAN FATHER OF RADWAN, IMAD RADWAN, LOOKING AT PORTRAIT (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) FATHER OF RADWAN, IMAD RADWAN, SAYING: "The portraits reflect crafts of those in their old age, and we wanted to develop his talent through encouraging him, motivating him and searching for pictures of those old people, so he would draw them. He used to change the features of the original photos to embody the Palestinian reality of sadness, displacement, and tragedy that the Palestinian people lived through." PORTRAIT BY RADWAN VARIOUS OF EXHIBITION AREA
- Embargoed: 29th May 2017 15:40
- Keywords: young artist art event in Gaza Palestinians Nakba Palestinian artist
- Location: GAZA CITY, GAZA
- City: GAZA CITY, GAZA
- Country: Palestinian Territories
- Topics: Art,Arts / Culture / Entertainment
- Reuters ID: LVA0016GY8OK5
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Portraits of Palestinian refugees forced to flee their homes when Israel was created are part of a new pop-up exhibition in Gaza.
Monday's event (May 15) coincides with the Palestinian Nakba, also known as Catastrophe, a day where many Arab residents fled or were expelled by force from their homes and prevented from returning.
The artwork on show was all created by fifteen-year old Gazan Amer Radwan who wanted to portray Nakba through the eyes of those who experienced it.
"I talked about our Nakba because the people who lived through it were our elderly ancestors, the elders have started to pass away and if they pass away, the Palestinian cause will disappear and so will the Palestinian heritage. Therefore, I drew about the Palestinian cause to revive it in our children, the emerging generation so it would grow with them and so the Palestinian heritage would remain and it would not be wiped out nor would the Palestinian cause,'' said the teenage artist, in between talking to visitors at the exhibition.
Radwan only picked up his artistic pencil 18-months ago, and has gone on to produce more than a dozen portraits.
For the teenage artist, the faces that he draws act as a symbol for the 'Palestinian cause'.
"Whoever went through the Nakba would be a grandfather or of old age, so the wrinkles reflect old age, elders with their wrinkles, their old age, their heritage and traditional customs are an evidence and a main symbol of the Palestinian cause, the Palestinian Nakba,'' he said.
Those visiting the exhibition hailed Radwan's work and message.
"Through the tales of the ancestors, Amer was able to focus on a very important cause, which is the Nakba in the eyes of the ancestors. He was able to show us the history of our ancestors through portraits that he draws of the Palestinian faces that have lived through the Nakba,'' said visitor Khaled Safi.
Among those admiring the work was the teenager's father, Imad Radwan who praised his son's talent, and explained how he supports his work.
"The portraits reflect crafts of those in their old age, and we wanted to develop his talent through encouraging him, motivating him and searching for pictures of those old people, so he would draw them. He used to change the features of the original photos to embody the Palestinian reality of sadness, displacement, and tragedy that the Palestinian people lived through."
For those who were forced from their homes, many now live in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, the West Bank and Gaza in poor housing and limited access to employment opportunities.
In Gaza, for Radwan a picture is worth a thousand words, and he hopes that that rings true for his portraits. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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