Feature: What’s The Significance of The Cactus in The Window?

Library > Community Presentations

Presenter: John Chadwell

Delivered: DC on May 20, 2018

Asim Abu Shakra was an Arab-Israeli artist who utilized the symbolism of the Palestinian Cactus in his paintings to define his foreignness living, studying and working in Israel. This afikra feature explains the background of that symbolism and how Asim used it to make a simple yet powerful statement.

Sources & Future References

• Ayelet Zohar and Ibrahim Nubani: Interview and Images — Theory, Culture & Society | Global Public Life

• Ben Zvi, Tal, 2014. "the landscape of Asim Abu Shaqra", Journal of Levantine Studies

• The Best Art Exhibition Spaces In Bahrain

• Jewish National Fund in Violation of International and Domestic Law - Palestine Remembered

• Palestine Remembered, al-Nakba 1948 - فلسطين في الذاكرة

• Palestinian Village Histories: Geographies of the Displaced - Rochelle Davis - Google Books

• The Thorn and the flower | Zakaria Mohammed - Academia.edu

• Painter Fouad Agbaria reclaims symbols of Palestine's survival | The Electronic Intifada

• Erasing Palestine to Build Israel: Landscape Transformation and the Rooting of National Identities | Cairn.info

• Reconstructing the things around us: Afifa Aleiby on the role of the artist in society - Ruya Foundation For Contemporary Culture In Iraq

• Art Spaces in Downtown Cairo Shut Down in Government Raid | Egyptian Streets

• Egyptian Surrealism and the Quest to Define Modern Art in Egypt

• ‘Long Live Degenerate Art’: In ‘Art et Liberté,’ an Egyptian View of Surrealism Addresses Contemporary Issues

• Surrealism in Egypt: Art et Liberté 1938 – 1948 | Tate Liverpool + RIBA North

• A Liar Brought Back to Life - Haaretz.com

• The Palestinian Museum

• Mintara Al-Batten – Walid Abu Shakra | MidnightEast

• A New Retrospective Shows How Far Palestinian Art Has Come - Haaretz.com

• The Palestinian Sabra: After His Death, an Artist's Legacy Is Up for Grabs - Haaretz.com

• Asim Abu-Shakra: 1961-1990

Contact Info

• E-mail: chadwell@gmail.com

• Linkedin: John Chadwell

Note: All community presentations are prepared & presented by non-experts on the subject. They are sharing information in the hopes of spurring interest in that subject.

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About Afikra Community Presentations

Delivered and prepared by afikra Community members, the presentation’s goal is to showcase the presenter’s curiosity and research and share some knowledge on a ‎topic related to the Arab world’s histories and cultures. The presentation is the ‎culmination of the afikra coaching process to help identify a topic, find research, and develop the ‎presentation. afikra presentations come in two forms, a long question-driven afikra Feature, and a short afikra FWD with the purpose of sharing something interesting.