EUROPE'S first museum of contemporary Palestinian art will host a new exhibition about Gaza by renowned British artist Peter Kennard.
The exhibition of new work aims to reveal the “context and complexities” of the ongoing situation, rather than simply depicting the horrors of war, and will launch at the Palestine Museum in Scotland in conjunction with the Edinburgh Festival this month.
Kennard, who is a pioneering artist and activist, is celebrated for his impactful photomontages that critique politics, war, and a range of social issues.
Through his art, Kennard seeks to highlight the complicity of Western governments and their active support for Israel, encouraging viewers to think critically about the situation.
His exhibition features a series of prints made using a variety of mediums, including photomontage, double-exposed photographs, drawing, and paint, in response to the ongoing conflict.
Kennard explained that as an artist, he felt “impelled” to create images which would make people think about the massacre taking place in Gaza while the world's political leaders look on.
“A horrific genocide is now taking place on the civilian population in Gaza, the children, women, and men, who are being starved, bombed, and shot,” he said.
“As an artist, I feel impelled to try and make images that will allow the general public to think about the massacre taking place, while the world's political leaders look on or openly support the genocide by sending weapons to Israel.”
The showcase will run daily from August 9 to the end of the month from 11am-6pm and is free to attend.
With a career spanning over five decades, Kennard has produced notable images of resistance and dissent, as he aimed to address topics such as the Vietnam War, the Anti-Apartheid Movement, and environmental activism.
His work has been exhibited globally, and he has been recognised as one of “Britain's most important political artists”.
The Palestine Museum in Scotland, located on Dundas Street, features work from a range of Palestinian artists showcasing paintings, sculptures and installations.
The museum is the first of its kind in Europe and aims to counteract the “dehumanisation” of the Palestinian people by illustrating their culture and narrative through art.
It is the first branch of an existing museum in Woodbridge, Connecticut called the Palestine Museum US and showcases work from both international and local Palestinian artists.
