Palestinian resistance to colonial occupation manifests in many ways, with art being one of the most touching and expressively deep methods. As I sought to increase my understanding of the Palestinian cause, I found myself most moved by different forms of art, and the powerful ways in which they were employed to convey complex messages. To represent a small part of what I came across, my piece is a spread that brings together art from across various temporal dimensions of the Palestinian experience. It is a compilation of multiple media forms including films, photos, digital art and poems demonstrating Palestinian resistance to oppression and occupation.
Overall, art and artistic expression in different forms play an important role in creating more comprehensive and representative historical archives. In the virtual world, art also serves as a historical source. Furthermore, art is an effective tool for drawing global solidarity with and advocating for humanitarian issues; I found this especially potent within the Palestinian context as I conducted more research on the topic. Artists use their paintings, writing, film and photography to resist occupation and garner an understanding of their lived experiences in ways that other forms of resistance may not capture as effectively. In this way, Palestinian resistance art holds even deeper meanings and serves broader purposes than traditional art forms. I have tried my best to encapsulate this complexity in the pieces I have included in my spread, and I have also added contextual notes to bring additional clarity to the art as well.
Artists use their paintings, writing, film and photography to resist occupation and garner an understanding of their lived experiences in ways that other forms of resistance may not capture as effectively. In this way, Palestinian resistance art holds even deeper meanings and serves broader purposes than traditional art forms. I have tried my best to encapsulate this complexity in the pieces I have included in my spread, and I have also added contextual notes to bring additional clarity to the art as well.
Maryam Rehman is a third-year student pursuing a Double Major in International Relations and Peace, Conflict and Justice Studies. She is also an activist, journalist and filmmaker taking action for climate justice, gender equality and inclusivity through her non-profit organization, The World With MNR. Her work in bridging the gap between academia, public knowledge about global issues and actions people can take to address them, has made Maryam especially interested in the history of Palestinian resistance, especially as it pertains to resistance through various art forms, and how this has drawn global solidarity for the Palestinian cause.
https://palestinestudies.artsci.utoronto.ca/art-beyond-occupation/