En tant qu'un Palestinien, je n'ai que des récits sur ce haut lieu de la résistance palestinienne qu'est Gaza

In this workshop, Jordanian painter and graphic artist Suhad Khatib stated, “As a Palestinian, I have nothing but narratives; in my homeland, invaders steal our homes and children. Narrative is not something of low value; as long as we have a story, we can continue and endure.”

The professional workshop “Healing Stories Through Art,” aimed at examining the effects of art on storytelling and the role of ideology in art, took place on Monday, May 20th, as part of the Sobh International Media Event. The workshop was held in collaboration with the Sobh Media Center in Howze-ye Honori.

In this professional workshop, Suhad Khatib, who was invited to Iran for the 2nd Sobh International Media Event, expressed, “When I arrived in Iran, I was struck by how similar we are as people and how eager the global community is to listen to our stories.” My intention is to heal through these stories.

He began his workshop by drawing a circle and stated, “I initiated the concept of drawing a circle while reading the Quran, drawing inspiration from the story of Ebrahim. At that time, my five-year-old daughter was reading the story of Cinderella, and I was trying to shield her from the influence of the Walt Disney princesses. Therefore, I sought out an alternative.”

He added, “I was looking for an alternative to childhood horror stories and started narrating the stories of prophets. I used to tell these stories to my daughter from an analytical perspective. Among all the stories, Ebrahim’s story was the most interesting because he broke the idols. Because in the eyes of a 5-year-old girl, a person must be very strong to break idols, this idea intrigued me and motivated me to conduct further research. When Ebrahim was searching for God, he gazed at the stars, and this is where the story of my circles began. Ebrahim wanted a God who would be eternal, unlike the transient moon and sun, and possess supreme power.

Khatib clarified that he “came to the conclusion that the largest shape created by God is the circle, while simultaneously the most intricate shape is the image found on Earth, such as the sun. Like Ebrahim, he contemplated the circle and its ability to expand without breaking. Perhaps, this is Ebrahim’s greatest gift to humanity – the ability to gaze at the sky, shed sorrow, and flourish like the stars unscathed. This concept formed the foundation of my workshops. No circle was like another.”

This artist described his technique as follows: “The interaction between water, ink, and the artist evolves into a dialogue.” Art introduces people to themselves, and sometimes it starts with a circle. I learned from the Quran that we have one soul and one substance, and the more we increase our knowledge, the more our soul expands. Art creates ideology. Resistance is not soft; it is resistance itself.

During the workshop, he showcased some of his artworks. Works that were drawn with ink.

Suhad Khatib is a Jordanian painter and graphic artist whose works have been exhibited in Montreal, Connecticut, Berkeley, New York, San Francisco, and Oman. In the field of illustration and film, Suhad Khatib has works on Palestinian issues, theology, and social issues in his portfolio. He is also one of the prominent designers of social justice campaigns in the world.

Le 2e Festival international des médias de Sobh, dirigé par Mohsen Yazdi, a débuté le 19 mai en trois sections : "Principale", "Service extérieur de l’IRIB" et "Spécial Palestine" avec la projection de documentaires, de films d’animations et de courts métrages ainsi que la tenue d'ateliers professionnels axés sur le travail médiatique.