Amman, Oct. 13 (Petra) – Chairman of the Board of the Jordan Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP Jordan), Michael Al-Sayegh, on Monday inaugurated an art exhibition titled “Palestine Cities on the Wall of the Heart” by Palestinian visual artist Ihsan Al-Bandak at Beit Shuqair for Culture and Heritage in Amman.
The exhibition, which runs until November 9, features 35 paintings of various sizes, including a mural and a large panoramic work depicting Gaza. A large audience of artists, painters, and art enthusiasts attended the opening.
Speaking to the Jordan News Agency (Petra), Al-Bandak said the exhibition draws on a collection of old photographs dating back to 1890–1935, portraying religious, heritage, and urban landmarks across historic Palestine.
He explained that the use of black and white tones in several paintings from the 19th century symbolizes the depth of memory and strength of roots, narrating a story of struggle and survival. Most of the works, he added, focus on Jerusalem, its holy sites, and surrounding landscapes.
Al-Bandak said the materials used in his works include acrylic on paper and canvas, along with collage techniques, noting that his art draws on impressionist and abstract schools. The panoramic painting “Gaza Now” reflects the abstract style, while his depictions of Jerusalem blend realism, abstraction, and simplification.
The large painting “Gaza Now”, he noted, portrays the devastation caused by the Israeli war on Gaza and the suffering of its civilians, women, children, and elderly, expressing the humanitarian pain resulting from the ongoing aggression.
Regarding the mural, Al-Bandak told Petra that its dimensions are 250 cm by 200 cm, representing Palestinian cities from the river to the sea.
He described the exhibition as a journey through the heart of Palestine, where its cities pulse with life not only through their stones and history but also through their memory, longing, and immortality in the consciousness of the Palestinian people. The works, he said, reveal the architectural richness and beauty of Palestinian cities, reflecting the resilient spirit of an ancient civilization that resisted change and stood as a testament to authenticity.
Al-Bandak emphasized that this exhibition is not merely an artistic display but a declaration in color, line, and form that “the cities of Palestine will remain etched upon the wall of the heart steadfast, unvanishing, and alive forever.” He said the collection, which includes both small and large works such as the Gaza panorama and the mural, opens a dialogue between past and present, memory and vision, and carries a message to current and future generations to keep these Palestinian cities alive in collective memory.
//Petra// AF
13/10/2025 23:14:18
