The Artists

Mohammed was born in Al-Bureij refugee camp to parents originally from Al-Jammama village, depopulated in 1948. He attended the Summer Art Academy in Amman (1999-2001) and participated in the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris (2008-2009). In 2002, he co-founded the Gaza Contemporary Art collective Eltiqa. His work has been widely exhibited locally and internationally.

On October 10, 2023, Mohammed had to leave his home, in Al-Bureij where he had lived all his life, with his wife, artist Dina Mattar, and their four children. They first sought refuge at his sister’s house in Nuseirat camp. On December 24, intensive night shelling caused massive destruction and the death of 60 relatives and friends. Mohammed then took his family and fled towards the Egyptian border, eventually reaching a tent camp near Rafah. They endured harsh conditions, without basic necessities and with only scarce canned food. After realizing that their home had been destroyed and that there was no safe place left in the Gaza Strip, they decided to flee Gaza in search of safety and well-being. After a difficult process, they finally managed to travel to Cairo, Egypt, in April 2024.

Today, Mohammed and his family live in Sharjah, UAE, where memory remains a constant companion. He resumed his artistic practice, confronting displacement and loss with hope and bright colors. He refuses to let this aggression destroy his creativity and overshadow his artistic practice.