ART from GAZA

Eltiqa Collective’s Art as a Breath of Life, already shown in Geneva and Basel, presents a selection of drawings and mixed media works created by a group of established Palestinian artists in response to the ongoing war and humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The pieces—produced both while internally displaced within Gaza and later in forced exile—are exhibited as digital prints, a practical and conceptual choice made in response to material loss and logistical challenges that through technology are thus overcome. Born out of a longing for normalcy, a space to breathe and to process extraordinary events, the original drawings were at times created with improvised colours made from hibiscus tea, coffee or charcoal in makeshift shelters, and convey not only an intimate and quiet power but also display each artist’s unique style, technique and emotional landscape.

Founded in 2002, Eltiqa has long been a vital part of Gaza’s cultural landscape. Its members include Mohammed Al Hawajri, Mohamed Abusal, Raed Issa, Sohail Salem, Dina Matar, Abdel Raouf Al Ajouri, and Mohamed Dabous. Until recently, their collective studio in Gaza City was a hub for exhibitions, youth workshops, and interdisciplinary collaboration. That space was destroyed, along with many of the artists’ archives, during the most recent escalation. Nevertheless, the artists continue to work. As Raed Issa recounts in the captions to his drawings, he produced many pieces while living in displacement, first in UNRWA schools in Gaza City, then in the south, and eventually in a tent in Deir al-Balah, where he used found materials and taught children to draw. The resulting works are deeply personal reflections on memory, fatigue and love, all rendered in an expressive, pared-down visual language. The exhibition preserves and amplifies these voices, demonstrating how creativity persists even in constrained conditions.

Yura’s Gaza Habibti (Gaza my love) complements Eltiqa’s drawings, showcasing photography by young and emerging artists from Gaza who have documented life’s quieter, tender moments amid conditions of blockade, war, humanitarian crisis and disruption. The images defy dominant representations of Gaza, offering instead a nuanced, grounded perspective on its social and cultural life. Having travelled to over 15 cities, including Basel, Barcelona, Berlin, Munich, Philadelphia and Amman, Gaza Habibti has garnered wide interest for its sensitive, hopeful, and insightful visual language. Featured artists include many award-winning and up and coming documentary photographers, many of whom have been featured in international magazines and news outlets.
As part of the exhibition Gaza Habibti, Yura also presents selections from two storytelling projects: Untold Palestine and We Are Not Numbers. The former is a digital photo-archive highlighting the ordinary achievements and dreams of people in Gaza as documented by the photographers; while the latter presents intimate portraits of individuals who have been killed in the ongoing war and is made up of a curated collection of family photos and oral recollections collected by Yura. While rooted in grief, these portraits emphasize the richness of individual identity and memory, together culminating in a symbolic and participatory “family album” of Gaza.

This marks the first time these two artistic initiatives will be exhibited together, creating a rich, layered dialogue across media, generations of Palestinian artists, and perspectives from within Gaza and abroad. Together, the works invite reflection not only on the conditions that shape creative practice, but also on the universal nature of artistic expression as a means of processing life, fostering connection, and reclaiming visibility.

The media of photography and drawing also offer different registers of expression and their juxtaposition invites viewers to consider the nature of representation itself: how an artist might choose to capture a moment through the lens or reimagine it as marks on paper. Each approach brings its own aesthetic, emotional, and ethical considerations, and viewers will be guided to engage with these dimensions through accompanying texts, conversations, and the side events.

The war and ongoing blockade of Gaza, prevent most Gaza-based artists from attending, three members of Eltiqa (currently displaced to France and the United Arab Emirates) and the director of Yura (who is from the Galilee region and lives in Germany) will participate in the exhibition and public events in Bern. Their presence provides a tangible, human link between Gaza and Bern, strengthening the cross-cultural exchange at the heart of this project.
To ensure accessibility, artwork captions and materials will be available in English, French, and German, and spoken events will be translated into Swiss German by local volunteers. All proceeds from entry donations will support the overall budget; revenues from print and postcard sales will go directly to the artists. Any amount raised beyond the required budget, will be donated to the two collectives.

To further enrich public engagement, a series of side events will accompany the exhibition. These activities put an emphasis on dialogue, diversity, and inclusion, and are designed to welcome a broad spectrum of Bern residents.

Vernissage and Roundtable (23.08.2025)
The exhibition opens with a roundtable discussion on the role of artistic collectives in Gaza, featuring up to three Eltiqa artists and Yura’s founder. (hopefully in person, depending on achievement of funding goals). This public dialogue, supported with Swiss German interpretation, offers Bern audiences a chance to hear how artistic work is sustained and shared under complex conditions.

Palestinian Brunch and Youth Storytelling Workshop (24.08.2025)
The Sunday following the opening features a brunch open to all, encouraging informal cultural exchange. Parallel to this, a youth storytelling workshop for 14 to 16-year-olds will explore identity and belonging through photography and writing. Facilitated by Yura director Mohamed Badarne and supported by local artists, the event fosters reflection through hands-on engagement.

Artists' Exchange Event (Date TBC)
In collaboration with a Bern-based artist and students from the Hochschule der Künste Bern, this event brings together local and visiting artists to share methods, materials, and ideas.

Poetry Night (Date TBC)
A relaxed evening of spoken word and music will feature Palestinian and Bernese poets and musicians, allowing for deeper emotional resonance and communal appreciation of shared themes such as identity, memory, and place.

This joint exhibition and series of events create a multi-layered cultural experience grounded in visual storytelling and creative exchange. It contributes to a deeper understanding of Gaza’s artistic communities and uses art to bridge distance , offering a space for reflection.

Mohammed Al Hawajri, Mohamed Abusal and Raed Issa can travel to Bern to attend the launch and take part in side-events. They have already travelled to Geneva and other destinations since forced to leave Gaza. They currently reside in France (Abusal and Issa) and the Arab Emirates (Al Hawajri).

Eltiqa is an artists’ collective founded in Gaza in 2002 to support visual arts in the absence of formal institutions. It promotes local, regional, and international exchange and empowers artistic production in the Gaza Strip. Since 2010, Eltiqa has created a nonprofit art space that includes a gallery, print workshop, discussion forums, and library. The collective also runs programs for emerging artists. Eltiqa fosters a vibrant, self-sustaining visual arts community in Gaza. Etliqa’s premises in Gaza city were destroyed in the current conflict.

Mohammad Al-Hawajri: born in 1976 in Bureij Refugee Camp, Gaza, he received a residency at the Cité Internationale in Paris and trained at the Summer Academy in Amman, where he won first prize. His work has been exhibited across Europe, the Middle East, the Americas, and Asia and is held in major collections, including the Arab World Institute (Paris) and Darat Al-Funun (Amman).

Mohamed Abusal: born in Gaza in 1976, he shifted from finance to art in 2000 and has since produced innovative, widely acclaimed work, notably: Metro in Gaza and Shambar, which explore life under siege and imagine hopeful futures. He works across media and has exhibited internationally, especially in France. He received the Charles Aspry Prize for Contemporary Art in 2005.

Raed Issa: born in Al-Bureij refugee camp in Gaza in 1975, he founded the Fine Art Program of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society in Gaza. His work explores themes of vulnerability, loss, and life under siege. He has held residencies in Geneva and Paris and won the A.M. Qattan Foundation’s Young Artist Award in 2002. Issa’s art has been exhibited widely, including at Documenta fifteen.

Sohail Salem, born in Gaza in 1974, holds a B.A. in Fine Arts from Al-Aqsa University and has participated in residencies in Jordan, Switzerland, and France. Sohail has exhibited both locally and internationally and held four solo exhibitions. He briefly taught Fine Arts at Al-Aqsa University and supervised Eltiqa’s GCAP contemporary arts program in 2014. He currently lives in Gaza, working in graphic design and fine arts.

Dena Matar, born in Gaza in 1985, holds a BA in Fine Art and Education from Al Aqsa University. A member of the Eltiqa collective, she has exhibited her vibrant, imaginative paintings across Europe and Palestine. She participated in a residency at the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris in 2012 and has collaborated on numerous international and local projects. Influenced by Cubism and Joan Miró, her work reflects hope and optimism amid Gaza’s hardships.

Abdel Rauf Ajouri, born in Gaza City in 1977, began his artistic career in 1993. His work, influenced by expressionism, spans painting and contemporary sculpture. He held a solo exhibition, A Silent Dialogue, at the Khalil Sakakini Cultural Centre in 2003. Ajouri’s art has been shown in group exhibitions across Europe and the Middle East. He co-founded both the Eltiqa Group for Contemporary Art and Eltiqa Artist’s House Gallery in Gaza, where he currently works.

Mohammed Al Dabous, born in Jabalia Camp, Gaza in 1978, studied fine arts in Egypt and graduated top of his class. He teaches visual arts at Al-Aqsa University and is a member of the Eltiqa Group. Trained by Marwan Qassab Bachi, his early work focused on Palestinian folklore.

The director of Yura, Mohamed Badarne, a Palestinian visual artist originally from the Galilee, resides in Berlin and is available to travel to Bern to hang the exhibition and facilitate side events.

Yura is a Berlin-based non-profit collective founded in 2022. It shares people-centred stories from marginalized communities and challenges dehumanizing narratives through ethical photography and multimedia. Led by photographer Mohamed Badarne, Yura supports professional growth and a global network of socially engaged artists. The name Yura (يرى), meaning “being seen” in Arabic, embodies its mission to amplify underrepresented voices.

Mohamed Badarne: born in the Galilee and residing in Berlin, he switched from teaching and NGO work to full-time artist in 2012. He collaborates with international organizations to lead workshops on social photography and visual storytelling. His acclaimed projects ‘Forgotten Team’, ‘Come Back Safely’ and ‘Crack 708’ have been exhibited globally and supported by major art and human rights institutions.

Abdulrahman Zaquot is a Gaza-based photographer and photojournalist with a background in media from Al-Aqsa University. He teaches photography at Palestine University and contributes to various local and international news agencies. His award-winning work has been widely exhibited, including gaining recognition from the Red Cross.

Anas Ziad Fteiha, is a Palestinian photographer and journalist from Gaza, working for Anadolu New Agency and studying IT at the University of Palestine. He joined Untold Palestine during the Gaza war, documenting life in two displacement camps.

Asil Kabariti is a Palestinian street photographer from Gaza whose work captures vivid, intimate portraits of everyday life. Her photos highlight the resilience and vibrancy of her community.

Bilal Al-Hams, a 23-year-old physiotherapy graduate from Gaza, has developed diverse photography skills over eight years and now focuses on documenting the war’s impact. Despite losing his home and studio, he continues capturing the struggles of his displaced family and community in Rafah.

Fatma Hassouna is a Gaza-based photographer and Multimedia graduate from the University College of Applied Sciences. She has contributed to the Tamer Foundation, Women's Affairs Foundation, and the "She Leads" program with Plan International. Her photography has been featured in multiple local exhibitions.

Fatima Shabir is a Palestinian photographer from Gaza known for her courageous war coverage. She has received multiple awards, including the WordPress International Photojournalism Award.

Hani Al Shaer is a Gaza-based photographer specializing in mobile photography. He uses cell phones to capture everyday life and stories of hope.

Hossam Salem is a Palestinian photographer from Gaza who has worked with major agencies like The New York Times and Al Jazeera. He has received several awards, including the Istanbul Photography Festival Award.

Jamileh Tawfiq is a journalist and photographer from Gaza working with local and international media. She collaborates with Al Jazeera English to cover the war in Gaza.

Loay Ayyoub is a Palestinian photographer from Gaza whose work appears in international and local outlets, including The Washington Post. He is recognized as their main photographer in Gaza.

Mahdi Zaarab is a Gaza City photojournalist with a background in Media and Public Relations from Al-Azhar University. He specializes in food, nature, and automotive photography but shifted to documenting Palestinian suffering during the Gaza war. Mahdi works with international organizations like WHO and Anadolu Agency to cover impactful stories.

Mahmoud Abu Hamda is a Palestinian multimedia photographer from Gaza specializing in nature and food photography. He has documented the recent Gaza war and collaborated with various international organizations.

Mahmoud Ajour is a Gaza-based photographer working with agencies like APA and Reuters. He has received the Gaza Press House Award.
Mohamed Salem is a Palestinian photographer from Gaza whose work appears on local and international platforms. He also collaborates independently with Al Jazeera English.

Salama Nabil Younis is a Gaza-based photographer specializing in photography, montage, and aerial videography. He focuses on capturing stories of hope and pain from the people of Gaza.

Samar Abu Elouf is a journalist and photographer from Gaza who works with The New York Times and is part of Women Photograph. She has won several awards, including the 2021 James Foley Award.

Sharif Sarhan is a Palestinian photographer and artist from Gaza with over 20 years of experience in painting, sculpture, and photography. He explores national and humanitarian themes and has exhibited globally, earning numerous awards.