![Palestinian Kamal Al-Madhoun collects seashells to use them to decorate pottery in Gaza [Mohammed Asad/Middle East Monitor]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/2019_8-14-Shelling-out-for-art-in-the-Strip1.jpg?ssl=1 "DCIM100GOPROG0085944.")
![Palestinian Kamal Al-Madhoun collects seashells to use them to decorate pottery in Gaza [Mohammed Asad/Middle East Monitor]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/2019_8-14-Shelling-out-for-art-in-the-Strip8.jpg?ssl=1 "2019_8-14-Shelling out for art in the Strip8")
![Palestinian Kamal Al-Madhoun collects seashells to use them to decorate pottery in Gaza [Mohammed Asad/Middle East Monitor]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/2019_8-14-Shelling-out-for-art-in-the-Strip7.jpg?ssl=1 "2019_8-14-Shelling out for art in the Strip7")
![Palestinian Kamal Al-Madhoun collects seashells to use them to decorate pottery in Gaza [Mohammed Asad/Middle East Monitor]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/2019_8-14-Shelling-out-for-art-in-the-Strip6.jpg?ssl=1 "2019_8-14-Shelling out for art in the Strip6")
![Palestinian Kamal Al-Madhoun collects seashells to use them to decorate pottery in Gaza [Mohammed Asad/Middle East Monitor]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/2019_8-14-Shelling-out-for-art-in-the-Strip4.jpg?ssl=1 "2019_8-14-Shelling out for art in the Strip4")
Forty-two-year-old Palestinian Kamal Al-Madhoun has made a living walking around Gaza’s shores and collecting shells.
For the past 20 years Kamal has collected seashells and categorised them according to shape and colour before using them to decorate pottery.
The shells are used to express Palestinian heritage and culture on the clay pots Kamal adorns with his art.
Pieces can take up to two months to complete with his most elaborate work being a model of the famous French landmark the Eiffel Tower which required 14,000 seashells to make.
Like all residents of the besieged Gaza Strip, the biggest hindrance to his work are the regular power cuts which are a result of Israel’s repressive policies and blockade on the Strip. These force Kamal to halt work until the lighting is optimal for his art to truly shine.
READ: Israel killed 54 Palestinians in Gaza during first half of 2019
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