Dina Matar and Sundus Taysir Rajabi are two Palestinian women artists. The former is a painter; the latter, a ceramicist. Both speak to us about their life journeys, marked by exile and war, and about their art as an act of resistance, hope, and light.

Dina Matar

“I am a visual artist from Gaza, Palestine. I am 41 years old and I live in the United Arab Emirates. Since my childhood, my father discovered my talent and would buy me drawing tools, paints, and imaginative stories that stimulate the mind, as well as colorful books.

For a long time, I have only been painting in a Cubist or Expressionist style. However, when I was studying art, I used different art forms such as glass painting, sculpture and ceramics because Gaza City was famous for its pottery and the finest clay in the world.

My paintings are inspired by the life I live in all its details: the beautiful Palestinian nature around me, the people in all their details and movements, the fleeting moments we experience, and even memories and dreams. I use colors extensively, favoring vibrant hues and lines, to transform these moments into a vibrant visual language that tells a story to everyone who sees it.

Through my work, I speak about my homeland, my memories, and the different stages of my life. I try to convey a positive image in my work, not just sadness and destruction.

I redraw my memories in a way that allows me to see light before darkness, happiness before sorrow, and to relive moments from our past lives and daily experiences that I once thought fleeting, but which have now become real, as if I’m exploring them for the very first time.

How can a grieving person find joy, despite the immense pain they have endured? This is a question I ask myself every time I face the blank canvases that seem to expect me to weep in their embrace, even though I already do. Yet, each time, I surprise them with my vibrant colors. Through this act, I strive for victory, wielding joy and delight as weapons against misery and grief.

The Palestinian woman in my work is a symbol of strength and resilience. I love to portray the Palestinian woman through her daily life and her longing for her homeland, conveying both her suffering and her hope. I also like to focus on her social and cultural role, highlighting her contribution to preserving culture and heritage, whether through traditional clothing, customs, or family life, emphasizing her central role in the home and society. The Palestinian mother has many roles in life.”

Sundus Taysir Rajabi

“I am a Palestinian visual artist from Jerusalem, where I still live and work. I am 35 years old. I specialize in ceramics alongside other visual art practices.

My relationship with ceramics began during my Fine Arts studies, where I initially focused on painting. However, a major turning point came in 2017 when I traveled to Turkey and trained in ceramics in İznik. There, I discovered a deeper connection to this medium, which later became central to my artistic expression.

Choosing to study art was not an easy decision at first, as it is not always seen as a conventional career path. However, I followed my intuition and continued developing my practice. Over time, art became not just a profession, but a daily necessity and a space for inner balance.

For me, art is an open field of exploration, and I enjoy creating dialogues between different materials and techniques. I started with painting, and I still integrate it into my work alongside ceramics. I also experiment with mixed media, including watercolor, printing, textiles, copper, and natural materials.

One of my main goals was to merge visual arts — especially painting — with ceramics, allowing the pieces to carry both form and image. I founded the Art and Ceramics Studio in 2020 at my home as a personal initiative to create an independent space for my work. In the beginning, it was very simple, but I dedicated a lot of time to learning and developing my techniques. Over time, the studio evolved into a space for both production and artistic exchange, where I also host workshops and share this experience with others. In July 2026, I opened my new Studio in the old city of Jerusalem. It has been a dream of mine for a long time.

Through my work, I aim to express the relationship between land and memory. Clay, for me, is not just a material, but something deeply connected to the الأرض and identity. I try to create pieces that feel calm yet meaningful, carrying human stories within them.

The Palestinian reality is present in my work in a subtle way, through details rather than direct representation. One of my artistic directions involves visiting depopulated Palestinian villages and collecting plant leaves, which I later imprint onto clay. Each leaf carries the memory of a place and reflects a connection to lives that once existed there. In many ways, I see this handmade process as a quiet form of resistance that preserves and reinterprets memory.

Art is a space for healing and expression, especially in a context filled with challenges. Art, for me, is a way to find inner balance and reconnect with myself and my surroundings.”

Interviews conducted by Chloé Schiltz

Many thanks to Pauline and her friends, whose support made these interviews possible.

La version française de cet article est publiée dans la revue 5 des Ourses à plumes. Précommandez votre exemplaire : https://www.helloasso.com/associations/ourses-a-plumes/evenements/precommandez-la-revue-5-des-ourses-a-plumes