Art, Culture & Peace

Are you crazy, enrolling in an art college? Even we engineering graduates didnt get any jobs. Those words didnt discourage Abdul Rahman al-Katanani, a third generation Palestinian refugee in Lebanon to pursue his interest in art. He picked up paint and brush instead of gun and bullets to fight the rights of Palestinians. In conjunction with Youth and Terrorism Conference, an art exhibition entitled Peace Expression of Hope was held on 25 to 28 February 2009. It involved 25 artists from 6 countries and Abdul Rahman was invited to exhibit two of his work; Mother in the Camp and Women in the Camp. His artwork brought parts from the refugee camps to the outside world. Clothes, pegs, zinc sheets are embedded in his artwork. He also defies convention by eschewing square canvas and adopts for irregular, jagged backdrop. Abdul Rahman explained that the clothes represented the huge number of refugee that is packed in the 1 kilometer square area of Shatila Camp. Brimming with 12,000 people it led to an outrageously dense population. Such density also meant that he cant possibly bring his massive artwork around the camp. Meanwhile, the zinc sheets represented the common building material in the camp. For one of the artwork, he used the zinc sheet to symbolize his mother. When asked how he got the materials Abdul Rahman jokingly said he stole them. Later on he revealed that the people in the camp are supportive of his work and he simply have to request it from them. Although people around him are initially skeptical of his vocation as artist, they later recognized that he is the one that are able to bring out their voice. The boss of feelings as put by Abdul Rahman. He also strongly believes that when you do something you like, doors of opportunity open. This is proven by the fact that he is able to travel around the world despite his refugee status. National Artist, Dato Syed Ahmad Jamal praised his work, stating that is a powerful artwork that manages to tell so much in one sweeping image. He also added that the aspect of beauty is there and it gives a strong impact on viewers. In the same time, it still conveys the message of the plight of Palestinian refugees. Fighting through art might be deemed as low level but in reality it is as dangerous as armed resistance. As art have the power to change it mind, it will potentially erode the propaganda that give legitimacy of Israels self-defense.

Datin Hamidah recalled an episode where a New Yorker teaching in Beijing complaining about an X on the Star of David. When she brought up the crimes of Israel he vehemently rebuke it. The episode in National Art Gallery illustrates how some people choose to ignore and deny. Two local artists, Safwan and Budin also agree that art and media play a big role in the issue of Palestine. Although it is still a secondary experience, Budin admits that he is exposed to the issue via mass media. Furthermore, Safwan views it as a Jihad to bring the understanding of the problem to the masses. As for Abdul Rahman, he resolves to continue churning out artworks hoping to return to Palestine one day. With each artwork signed with the image of old house key brought by his grandfather in 1948, he certainly hopes the doors of the home Palestinian longed for will be unlocked one day.