Last April, BarakaBits met Mohammad Qryqa, a 12-year-old artist from Gaza whose artwork dazzled the world. We visited his studio and perceived Mohammad’s desire to cross over to the other side of Gaza’s walls seeping through his every pore: he wanted to show his paintings to the world.
This August, Mohammad’s dream became true as he flew to Tunisia, where he was invited on a tour through different cities to present his work. “This doesn’t mean I forget the issues and concerns of my people in Gaza. I’m in Gaza forever,” he says on his Facebook page.
The young artist participated in several conferences, TV and radio interviews, where he turns his fantastic paintings into heart-felt words. The way he talks about Gaza, he says, is different from regular conferences: “I invite them to imagine living there, I move them to Gaza through the events and problems that threaten our homes, the sound of drones, the hospitals being bombed, and the eight years of siege,” he says.
Since the journey began, Mohammad has been sharing his every achievement and joy with the 30,000 followers who support him through his Facebook page.
For more information: Follow Mohamed’s Instagram feed, his Facebook page, or tweet him @MhmdQryq.