Malak Mattar

Malak Mattar is a Palestinian painter from Gaza.

Early life and education

Mattar was raised in Gaza City. Her father's family is from Ashkelon, and he is a former member of the Palestinian foreign service; her mother is from al-Batani al-Sharqi and works as a UNRWA English teacher.[1][2] Mattar attended UNRWA schools until ninth grade.[2]

Mattar was given the chance to study abroad for college, after graduating high school in 2017 with the second-highest GPA in Palestine.[3][4] She attended university at Istanbul Aydin University in Turkey, where she studied Political Science and International Relations.[1][2][3] She lived with an older sister who was also studying in Istanbul.[1]

Mattar began studying at Central St Martins in September 2023 for her master's degree.[3]

Art

Mattar began painting in 2014, during the 2014 Gaza War, as a way to express her emotions and work through her trauma.[3][1] She first began with using watercolors on basic paper, but her mother bought her acrylic paint and canvases after seeing her passion for art.[3][1] She received mentorship from her uncle, Mohammed Musallam, a fellow painter from Gaza.[1][3]

Mattar started an Instagram account, where she posted her art.[2] Her work started to gain traction, and by age 14 she had her first gallery opening in Gaza, and was selling her work to online buyers.[2][4]

In 2016, Mattar's art was exhibited at the Palestine Museum in Bristol, but she was unable to attend as she was not granted a visa.[3]

In 2019, Mattar's art was exhibited at the Palestine Museum in Connecticut.[4] In August, some of her work was brought to Gallery al-Quds in Washington D.C.[4]

In 2021 Mattar wrote and illustrated a children's book called Grandma's Bird.[1]

As of 2022, Mattar's work had been shown in 80 countries.[1]

In 2023, Mattar had a solo exhibition of her work at Garden Court Chambers in London.[3]

Style

Mattar has said she tries to focus on bright colors and positive subject matter - like hope and peace - in her work.[1][4] Her style, which has been described as expressionist, has been compared to that of Picasso and Matisse.[2][5][6] She has also cited Frida Kahlo as an inspiration.[6]

Mattar tends to depict women in her work.[1][3] She has attributed this to the sex-segregated nature of Gazan society, and the strong presence of her mother and grandmothers in her life.[3] Some of her figures have halos, which were inspired by a trip Mattar took to Roman Catholic Holy Family Church in Gaza and are a way of imbuing the figures with "spiritual strength and power".[1]

Mattar is also been drawn to painting birds, as symbols of freedom and, when caged, of imprisonment.[3] The dove in particular is a common symbol in her paintings.[1] Other Palestinian symbols in Mattar's work include oranges, olives, and pomegranates.[1]

References
  1. Saber, Indlieb Farazi (January 5, 2022). "Born of war: How a Palestinian woman responds to trauma through art". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 2023-10-20.
  2. "Palestine's Picasso: Malak Mattar". UNRWA USA. Retrieved 2023-10-20.
  3. Agha, Sarah (2023-07-21). "Gazan artist Malak Mattar launches solo exhibition in London". newarab.com. Retrieved 2023-10-20.
  4. Khalel, Sheren (August 7, 2019). "From war to watercolours: 'Art prodigy' Malak Mattar brings Gaza to Washington". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 2023-10-20.
  5. Atallah, Nasri (October 28, 2021). "Malak Mattar: 'I Don't Care How the World Sees Me'". GQ Middle East. Retrieved October 19, 2023.
  6. Stoughton, India (2021-07-10). "Artist in Focus: Malak Mattar on feminism and the power of art". The National. Retrieved 2023-10-20.
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