Biography
Sliman Mansour, born in 1947 in Birzeit, Palestine, is a leading contemporary artist acclaimed for his evocative representation of Palestinian identity and resilience. Renowned for his 1974 painting “Camel of Hardship,” which portrays an elderly man bearing the symbolic weight of Jerusalem, Mansour’s work powerfully reflects the theme of steadfastness, or *summud*, and captures the profound impact of the Nakba of 1948 on Palestinian identity.
Raised in the landscapes of Birzeit, Bethlehem, and Jerusalem, Mansour’s early experiences profoundly shaped his artistic vision. His iconic works often feature symbols of Palestinian life, such as orange and olive trees representing lost lands and women in traditional dress embodying resilience and revolution. Since the early 1970s, Mansour has used art as a form of resistance, producing poignant mixed-media pieces with materials from the Palestinian environment to challenge Israeli colonial narratives.
A founding member of the New Visions group during the Intifada, Mansour, along with artists like Tayseer Barakat, Vera Tamari, and Nabil Anani, created works that used local materials to boycott Israeli art supplies, symbolizing resistance and honoring Palestine’s cultural heritage. His art has been exhibited globally, including in Paris, New York, Dubai, Japan, and Russia.
In addition to his artistic achievements, Mansour has co-founded the League of Palestinian Artists and played a crucial role in establishing cultural institutions such as the al-Wasiti Art Center in Jerusalem. His contributions to Palestinian art and cultural autonomy were recognized with the UNESCO-Sharjah Prize for Arab Culture in 2019.
Artwork
