The Palestinian Painter My Artwork Expresses Gaza’s Ideal

The Palestinian painter and artist, Suhad Khatib, stated that it is the artist’s responsibility to convey the message of resistance through the medium of art. She further added that her aim is to express the Palestinian and Gaza cause through her artwork.

Suhad Khatib, a Palestinian artist and painter, was invited to Iran for the 2nd Sobh International Media Event. In an interview with an IRNA correspondent, she mentioned that she was born to Palestinian parents and that her heart beats for her homeland, Palestine. Although she is currently residing in Jordan, her artwork always reflects the atrocities faced by her people in her homeland.

She said, “My heart is in the hands of the Lord, and my gift is in the hands of the Lord. Ink has the ability to talk to water, and I use this pristine capacity. My work is a reflection of the events in the city of Lod.” Today, most people in the world know about Gaza but are unaware of the city of Lod, which was previously home to an airport and has faced some of the worst massacres. I have attempted to capture the events that have occurred in this city.”

The Palestinian artist added, “We must talk about resistance, which is why I painted a danger sign at Al-Aqsa Mosque. The person who poses a danger to Al-Aqsa Mosque is also in danger. In my homeland, invaders steal our homes and children. Our narrative is crucial, and as long as we have a story, we can continue to exist. My other artwork is about the artist Naji al-Ali, who was a thorn in Israel’s side because he presented his ideology without complexity. Another one of my paintings is titled Love and Gunpowder.

On October 7th, I was painting anxiously.

Suhad Khatib, who always includes a passage in her paintings, explained: “I am not a writer, but I write because I want to leave a record of my paintings for my daughter. For example, I wrote a letter to a Palestinian fighter regarding one of my paintings: “My dear, you once said we need gunpowder to save ourselves, but I have never seen you use bullets for malicious purposes; you also said to bring the bullet closer to love so that our paths may intersect.”

“I’m frequently questioned about what happened during Palestine’s liberation. I still clearly recall painting anxiously on October 7th, only to get a call the following day announcing the liberation of Palestine, which was soon followed by the start of many crimes.”

The 2nd Sobh International Media Festival, with Mohsen Yazdi as the festival director, started on May 19 in three sections: “Main,” “IRIB World Service,” and “Palestine Special” with the screening of documentary, animation, and short film works, along with the holding of professional workshops on the topic of media.

Suhad Khatib is an accomplished painter and graphic artist with international recognition. Her work has been exhibited in Montreal, Connecticut, Berkeley, New York, San Francisco, and Amman. Along with her career in illustration and film, Khatib has dedicated her art to raising awareness about Palestinian issues, theology, and social struggles. She is also highly regarded for her design work on various social justice campaigns globally.