The People’s Forum is honored to present the opening of an exhibit featuring Gazan artist Malak Mattar and her powerful mural ‘No Words’ (2024). This  7 x 15-foot mural captures the profound loss and destruction caused by Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza. In No Words, Mattar transforms the many haunting images of this live-streamed genocide saturating newsfeeds and timelines, televisions, and screens into a striking, emotional documentary work. Unlike her earlier, vibrant pieces, this mural uses a muted grey palette and somber expressions to reflect the harsh realities of Israel’s assault and the deep sense of loss and grief.  The painting has been exhibited around the world and was recently seen in parallel to the Venice Biennale.

Join us on Tuesday, November 19 at 6 PM for the exhibition opening and a conversation with Malak Mattar about her artistic process and how she uses art to resist disconnection and instead, to advance the movement against Israel’s occupation of Palestine

Malak Mattar, born in December 1999, is a Palestinian painter, illustrator and author whose work reflects both personal and collective resilience in the face of occupation. Growing up in Gaza during the Israeli 2014 massacre, she turned to painting as a form of healing, encouraged by her mother to counter the trauma of war. Raised by refugee parents, Malak’s art often features young girls and women, symbolizing the hope and sumud ‘steadfastness’ of the Palestinian people, and is deeply rooted in Palestinian traditions. Her work has been exhibited in over 70 countries, including at the Museu das Artes de Sintra.