Mourning Genocide

30x40" | Acrylic on Stretched Canvas | 2023

Mourning a genocide is an impossible process that Palestinians and countless other people face around the world. This painting is inspired by the offrendas of Día de Los Muertos and speaks to the genocide against the Palestinian people. The Teddy Bears represent people who have been martyred for the horrid sake of colonialism, specifically those killed in the genocide in Palestine. Teddy bears are more than a children’s toy but also a symbol of colonialism created after the (not so) great imperialist and American president Teddy Rosevelt. Woven into this painting are Palestinian funeral traditions staged into a traditional Dia de los Muertos offrenda. Using a multicultural understanding of grief, the artist opens up a dialogue about the importance of remembrance.

NFS

Published in The Global Gazette Fall 2023 Edition