This past Friday, the Museum of the Palestinian People hosted its’ 7th Annual Fundraising Event under the theme, “Timeless Resistance: Honoring Our Past, Inspiring Our Future.”
This year, we honored the hundreds of thousands of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces in Gaza and the West Bank during the ongoing genocide.
We are proud to partner with artist, Anokhi Shah from the Watermelon Seeds Art Collective of DC to create this piece of work.
Watermelon Seeds Collective DC is a community of artists that experienced erasure of their artwork from spaces in Washington, DC because their work featured support of Palestine and commentary on the displacement and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from their homes during Israel’s genocidal campaign.
Anokhi Shah is a self-taught, queer, Indian artist from Apex, North Carolina. Reflecting her cultural and spiritual heritage, Anokhi’s creations often draw inspiration from traditional Indian rangoli, mandala, and mehndi designs and Jain principles of ahimsa (non-violence), karma, and the interconnectedness of all living beings. By day, she serves as a public defender representing people serving extreme sentences. Her passion, in both work and art, lies in challenging systems of oppression and advocating for change by showcasing the beauty, strength and resilience of survivors of trauma and persecution. Her art invites people to engage in critical dialogue and act toward creating a more just society.
Solidarity, action, and empathy are cornerstones of the movement for a liberated Palestine – this community showcases just that and we want to uplift all efforts to resist the erasure of Palestinian existence. This tribute will serve as a powerful reminder of the resilience and hope that continues despite the destruction faced.
Anokhi’s work will be added to the Museum’s Gaza Pop-Up exhibit for all visitors to view.