Visual art made from the shrapnel of Israeli rockets

Palestinian visual artist Mohamed Al-Zammar has produced several beautiful art pieces using the shrapnel of Israeli rockets and missiles launched at the Gaza Strip.

Al-Zammar told the Palestinian newspaper Al-Quds that through his art he is trying to communicate a message of life using the remains of Israel’s tools of destruction and occupation. He pointed out that, “This shrapnel killed and wounded many Palestinians.”

The artist, who lives in Al-Nureej, one of the many crowded refugee camps in the Gaza Strip, further explained that: “In Palestine, especially in the Gaza Strip, art is different. As art mirrors the people’s life, my art mirrors our life. It mirrors our sufferings, the siege and being refugees.”

On why he is doing this creative job, Al-Zammar asserted that: “I want to make life out of death and destruction. I want to tell the world that we are a nation who appreciates life and beauty. However, we have been swept out of our land two times, in 1948 and 1967.”

Reyad Abdul-Salam, who collects the shrapnel for Al-Zammar, said he encouraged his “creative” friend to do something that might raise awareness about the suffering of Gaza residents. “He suggested this kind of art and I dedicate much of my time to help him,” Abdul-Salam added.

In the West Bank cities of Ramallah and Bethlehem, Palestinian artists have also produced very fine pieces of art made from Israeli tear gas canisters and other tools of oppression. They recently displayed their art in an exhibition called “Chic-Art-Resistance“.