Sept 25-29, 2024
Exhibition Space of the Lightbox, 350 King St W, Toronto

This incredible exhibition featuring two artist with roots in Gaza will be on display for the duration of the in-person festival at the Lightbox. Both Malak and Ibrahim’s works offer personal reflections of the current state of Gaza through their art. Each artist will doing an artist talk about their work.

Sept 27, 6:45PM TPFF x Afikra: Artist Salon with Malak Mattar

Sept 29, 2:00PM Ibrahim Abusitta: Artist Talk and Exhibition Walk-through

Artist Statement: 

In his work, Ibrahim Abusitta explores the rich tapestry of Palestinian history and present realities. Blending personal imagery, ancestral narratives, and depictions of momentous events, he offers a multifaceted exploration of the Palestinian experience.

Central to his work is the motif of a house, symbolizing his grandparents’ home destroyed in the recent Gaza assault. This motif serves as both frame and outline, grounding viewers in the concept of home and its significance in Palestinian narratives.

Inspired by vivid hues of memory and dream-like collective consciousness, his paintings traverse past, present, and imagined futures. Through an interplay of colours and contrasting scenes, he invites viewers on a visual journey where history converges with contemporary struggles, and personal stories intertwine with broader narratives of resistance and resilience.

Amid media imagery depicting war atrocities, the artist aims to offer a nuanced perspective acknowledging complex historical layers and the enduring spirit of people seeking liberation. By highlighting significant moments recognizable to those familiar with the Palestinian cause, he strives to foster empathy, understanding, and deeper engagement with the ongoing struggle for justice and freedom.

Malak Mattar, No Words, 2024, oil on primed linen, 218 x 485 cm

No Words is a large painting that documents the harrowing events of the ongoing genocide in the Gaza Strip, which started in October 2023, and in which over 100,000 Palestinians have been killed or injured to date. It portrays the devastation inflicted upon human lives, animals, archaeological sites, and cherished historical buildings, alongside the profound impact of forced displacement, which has eviscerated Palestinian society for generations. Drawing from witness testimonies and images from family and friends, the press and social media, Malak Mattar (b. 1999) made the monumental work in approximately one month (January–February 2024) after weeks of careful planning, sketching and preparation, at the same time as dealing with the trauma of seeing her home destroyed from afar, as well as unprecedented anxiety over her immediate family who remain in central Gaza to this day. Packed with personal stories and motifs familiar to the artist from her childhood under occupation, this important work is therefore an accurate reflection of not only the largest human tragedy of this century, but also the emotions of one of Palestine’s most promising and determined young artists.