Mural organizers Estria Foundation , Art Forces and NorCal Friends of Sabeel.
Call the Wall: 510-269-8333
ext 11: Nidal El Khairy
ext.12: IROT
ext. 13: VYAL
ext. 14: Emory Douglas
ext. 15:Chris Gazaleh
ext. 16:Erin Yoshi
ext. 17: Deadeyes
ext. 18: SPIE
ext. 19: Susan Greene
ext. 20 Dena Matar
The Oakland Palestine Solidarity Mural (OPSM) makes visible the global connections embodied in joint struggles for justice. Using the occupation of Palestine as a lens, the mural addresses interlinked histories of colonization, environmental exploitation and international solidarity.
Photo: Hilary Hacker
OPSM ENDORSERS
AMED- Arab and Muslim Ethnicities and Diasporas Initiative at SF State, American Friends Service Committee, American Muslims for Palestine, Arab Cultural and Community Center, AROC, Art Forces, Buena Vista United Methodist Church, The Estria Foundation; Freedom Archives; Friends of Sabeel-North America, Interfaith Peace Builders, International Indian Treaty Council (IITC), Jewish Voice for Peace, International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network, Middle East Children's Alliance, Olympia Rafah Solidarity Mural Project, Palestine Youth Movement, Precita Eyes Mural Arts Center, SNAG Magazine (Seventh Native American Generation), Queers Undermining Israeli Terrorism, Black Alliance for Just Immigration, Dignidad Rebelde, and the Trust Your Struggle Collective, US Palestine Community Network.
PARTNERS
The Estria Foundation (TEF) is a non-profit organization with offices in California and Hawaii. TEF creates art in public spaces locally and globally with artists, youth, educators, and activists in order to raise awareness and inspire action in the movement to resolve human and environmental issues. The Foundation’s goal is to educate and engage youth on the intersections of art and movements for social justice.www.estria.org
Art Forces (formerly Break the Silence Media and Arts Project) works in the intersection of trauma, memory, creativity, resilience and resistance, making visible the connections between struggles for social justice globally and histories that have been obliterated or forgotten. Starting in 2001, Art Forces has collaborated with grassroots organizations in Palestine’s West Bank, Gaza and Lebanon to create public art projects aiming to educate and engage US audiences.www.artforces.org
NorCal Friends of Sabeel is a project of Friends of Sabeel—North America, a non-profit, tax exempt, Christian ecumenical organization seeking justice and peace in the Holy Land through nonviolence and education. www.fosna.org/content/norcal.
SPONSORS
Akonadi Foundation, Left Tilt Foundation, Middle East Children’s Alliance, and People's Life Fund, American Muslims for Palestine.
SOCIAL MEDIA
@estriaorg | @ArtForces | @Sabeel.fosna | #Artists4Palestine
Nidal El Khairy
The image used for this mural was inspired by the Syrian singer/songwriter Sameeh Shqeir. The song’s chorus says: “we die like trees, standing up”. Palestinians have endured many hardships, and ongoing ethnic cleansing, as a result of the colonization of their land by the apartheid, Zionist, Israeli-state. Yet, Palestinians remain resilient in their struggle for liberation. As a people, we would rather die on our feet than live on our knees.
IROT
The piece represents our connection to the land. That native people of all nations are directly connect to the natural elements. Taking our land, strips away parts of ourselves. The sharp mountains represent the narrow ways of thinking and the organic movements of the tree represent open free-flowing thinking which helps elevate our communities. The natural elements are breaking apart the man-made borders/barriers that separate us.
All I can do is offer my art as a voice to my friends from Gaza who may or may not be dead. If they are alive then it serves as a way to help their stories be heard. If they are dead then it serves as a memorial to thier brave souls.
Emory Douglas
It’s has truly been an honor to the fullest degree to have been asked to contribute art work to the collective Palestine Solidarity Mural Project and to have support from all the amazing contributing artists.
I accepted the offer because of it’s collective spirit and it was another great opportunity to express visually my solidarity with the Palestinian people's just cause. The intention of my contribution to the mural is to visually express the pain and suffering deeply rooted in the Palestinian’s resistance to free their land of occupation and theft.
Chris Gazaleh
Our history shall be known, through the pen, through the microphone, and held tight like a rock. Inside us is the cry of humanity. Free Palestine
Erin Yoshi
From Amache to Palestine: It represents a connection of the Japanese Internments Camps to the state of Palestine today. Palestine is subjected to unspeakable human rights violations and I feel it is my duty as a US citizen whose tax money supports the Israeli-state to speak out against the occupation. My family was forced into captivity much like the Palestinian people are corralled into the largest open aired prison today. I paint to voice my solidarity with the Palestinian people and my dream for their rights to freedom and self-determination. Boycott, Divest and Sanctions against the Israeli-state.
Deadeyes
A mixing of different cultural lines witin the oak tree represent solidarity with the different cultures in oakland.
Like a sling & a stone, this paint, this song, this dance is what I know. Where oppression of others is happening, solidarity support of the victimized & condemnation of the genocide is the fire I bring.
The Black Panther Party for Self-Defense of Oakland explained their name by saying that if a cat is forced into a corner it will lash out and defend itself. The same could be said about Palestine: trapped behind “security” walls & attacked. It’s right to rebel, it’s defending your life to resist injustices & I support the need for human dignity. One is not free when others are oppressed. Take a stand of solidarity for the indigenous of the land & the Palestinian people.
Susan Greene
I embody the fact that Zionism does not equal Judaism. My 25 years of public art in refugee camps in Palestine and Lebanon builds on the historical legacy of Jews who did not and do not support Zionism. Zionism and the occupation of Palestine desecrates the memory of Jews and all those who perished in the Holocaust of Europe. I have painted a trapeze artist, pictured in an electrifying moment of her craft, knocking down sections of the apartheid wall. In conjunction with Gaza artist Deena Matar’s whimsical trees, buildings and bomber planes, the section embodies pathos and a sense of extraordinary potential for liberation. Success is possible only with great coordination, tenacity, courage, teamwork, vision and humor, echoing some of the necessary traits to survive oppression and struggle for social justice.
Dina Matar
Dina Matar uses her art as a way to represent her surrounding reality in Gaza from a perspective that is full of hope and optimism rather than encumbered by dark and lifeless colors. ‘Through my art I try to rekindle positive feelings’.Dina Matar wants to provoke the viewer to probe the meaning of her work, to ponder the closed circles and the overloaded houses, and at the same time to search for freedom in the colorful spaces and long lines.
Online News Articles
http://mondoweiss.net/2015/02/palestine-valentines-celebration
http://electronicintifada.net/blogs/nidal-el-khairy/we-die-trees-standing
http://electronicintifada.net/blogs/charlotte-silver/oakland-unveils-mural-solidarity-palestine
http://mondoweiss.net/2014/08/palestine-unveiled-activists.html
http://alhyat.com/?mod=articles&ID=79213
http://www.popularresistance.org/gallery-oakland-palestine-solidarity-mural/
http://ht.ly/AaPeC