Fifteen-year-old artist Sara Abu Saade, who lives in a refugee camp in Gaza, says the bright and joyful paintings she once created have been replaced by scenes of devastation, blood and death following Israeli attacks.
The artwork produced by Gaza’s artists reflects the deep suffering of the society around them. Through their creative expression, they attempt to speak on behalf of their communities and document their lived realities.
Originally from Beit Lahiya and now residing in Gaza City, Sara carries the responsibility of sharing her people’s experiences with the world, despite her young age.
Before the Israeli bombardment in Gaza, Saade’s painted everyday life, but it all changed after that.
From joy to destruction
“I now find that all my paintings are about destruction, blood and martyrs,” Saade told the Turkish media. “All my work reflects a painful reality.”
Saade, who draws inspiration from the scenes she witnesses daily, said she is no longer able to paint the joyful images that once filled her work.
She shared that during periods of severe shortage, she painted “a woman carrying a sack of flour to the aid distribution point,” and when the Sumud Flotilla set sail, she painted “the ship.”
Following a ceasefire, she created a painting showing the return of displaced families to their homes.
The young Palestinian artist’s earlier artwork was destroyed in Israeli bombings. Since then, she has continued painting under extremely difficult conditions, using tents, pieces of wood and fabric as canvases, and charcoal from burned wood as paint.
Hoping for a better tomorrow
“When I painted the return of families to their homes, I too imagined returning home,” she said, referring to houses they were unable to reach in the heavily damaged yellow line area.
Saade said that every part of her life — her home, her dreams, her mental well-being and her art — has been shattered.
But she is still hopeful.
“I want to make beautiful paintings again, like before. I don’t want to paint destruction and blood. I want my work to convey our suffering to the world, but unfortunately, the world has turned a blind eye,” she shared.
She warned that if conditions do not improve, Gaza may never recover and she may never be able to achieve her dreams. She also expressed her hope of leaving Gaza one day to pursue her ambitions.
