It started with an Instagram post by intersectional art collaborative exhibition space NoMüNoMü on January 4, 2024: “CALLING ALL ARTISTS! Help us fill up the gallery with Posters for Palestine.” Organizers asked artists nationwide to spread the word and mail in artwork.
The exhibition was co-organized with Red Emma’s, a radical bookstore and worker’s cooperative, the Palestinian Youth Movement, the Party for Socialism and Liberation, Baltimore Artists Against Apartheid, and Rebel Lens. Proceeds from the exhibition, along with a series of events, went towards aid for Gaza.
The exhibit opened on Saturday, February 3, and the line for purchasing artwork was almost at the door. Those who purchased artwork could pick up their paintings February 27–28, as the gallery wanted to ensure the work stayed up for the entirety of the show.
The sheer amount of artwork, the vibrant colors, and the messages painted on them was a powerful and emotional experience. Messages in protest, hope, and solidarity wallpapered the space.
One poster featured a detailed painting of Bisan Owda, a Palestinian journalist; she wears a blue vest that reads “PRESS” and the words “Hey everyone, this is Bisan from Gaza. We’re still alive.” are painted, representing the journalists’ social media videos that document the 2023 war in the Gaza Strip. “Free Palestine” and “Honor The Truth Tellers” frame Bisan against a cornflower blue background. Bisan’s daily check-ins have been a somber reminder of the ongoing genocide and the lack of intervention by the world.
Another poster features a black Care Bear carrying a Palestinian flag with a single tear falling from his face. In the background is a pattern of sliced watermelon, a symbol of Palestinian liberation, and the words “FREE PALESTINE.”
Various colors, materials, styles, and sentiments were displayed, echoing the same desire for a free and liberated Palestine. (Teri Henderson)
