Anat and the Intifada

As well as being an artist, Abdulrahman Al Mouzayyen is a former general in the Palestinian Liberation Organization (now the Palestinian Authority) whose drawings have become synonymous with Palestinian liberation struggles. While serving as a resistance fighter with the PLO, he produced a number of political posters in the 1970s and 1980s; iconic works that incorporate a unique combination of embroidery, ancient history and stylised figures. Inspired by his mother's embroidery talents, Al Mouzayyen used complex symbolism found in Palestinian embroidery to communicate steadfastness. His employment of embroidery is significant; with occupational forces often clamping down on the displaying of flags or material related to the resistance, the art form evolved into an intricate coded language of signifiers used as an act of defiance. The figure of a woman, Anat, the ancient goddess of the Canaanites, symbolises the soul and the strength of Palestine. Al Mouzayyen's references to Canaanite heritage testify to the ancestral roots and longevity of Palestinian art, an element that is paramount to combating the co-option of local culture by Israelis and the near erasure of historical evidence by the occupation.