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Portrait of Sliman Mansour

Photo: Wiki Palestine (Q117834684) · CC BY-SA 3.0

Sliman Mansour

Pioneering artist expressing Palestinian identity and struggle through visual arts.

Born
27 July 1947
Born in
Birzeit, West Bank, Palestine
Path
Arts
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Why Sliman is here

Suleiman Mansour is renowned for his unique artistic style that blends traditional Palestinian elements with modern artistic expressions. His work, which often features symbols like the olive tree and traditional Palestinian embroidery, has been instrumental in visually articulating the Palestinian identity and their historical struggles. Mansour's art is not just a form of expression but a part of the Palestinian resistance, embodying the concepts of endurance and perseverance against adversity.

Their story

Sliman Mansour (1947–2026) was born in Birzeit and became one of the founding figures of contemporary Palestinian art. His painting Camel of Hardships (1973), of an old man carrying Jerusalem on his back, is one of the best-known Palestinian images.

During the First Intifada he joined the New Visions group of artists, who boycotted Israeli supplies and worked in mud, henna and other local materials. His paintings of women in embroidered dresses and of olive groves capture sumud, the steadfastness of staying on the land.

In pictures

Milestones

The moments that shaped Sliman’s path.

  1. 1947

    Born in Birzeit, West Bank, Palestine.

  2. 1973

    Painted Camel of Hardships, depicting a man carrying Jerusalem.

  3. 1987

    Co-founded New Visions during the first intifada, emphasizing art as a form of resistance.

  4. 1994

    Co-founded al-Wasiti Art Center in East Jerusalem.

  5. 2004

    Became a member of the Founding Board of Directors of the International Academy of Art Palestine.

Legacy

What they built, changed and left behind.

  1. Development of a unique art style using mud as a medium to depict Palestinian history and people.

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  2. Head of the League of Palestinian Artists from 1986 to 1990.

  3. Pioneering role in the New Visions collective, which integrated art with political resistance.

  4. Significant contributions to Palestinian art infrastructure through teaching and leading cultural institutions.

  5. Publication of "Both Sides of Peace

    Israeli and Palestinian Political Poster Art.".

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