Life in Gaza, Just Like a Painting By Picasso

It’s just as if Pablo Picasso had seen Gaza, 41 years after his death. His characters perfectly blend with the Palestinian backdrop as they wander together with Gazan men, women and children across the debris of what used to be their houses.

Basel al-Maqosui is a 42-year-old Palestinian painter who wanted to show the world something other than death and destruction. During the 50-day offensive over the Gaza strip last July, he took pictures of some of its most devastated areas and paired them with famous characters in painting by Picasso, Monet and Cezanne.

“People outside will look at the gruesome images of Gaza’s dead and wounded for a day, maybe two, but not longer,” he said. “I wanted to give the world something they can look at day after day for as long as the war lasted.”

His photo-collages, published in social media, gained much attention internationally transforming, once more, the way we see Gaza. Al-Maqosui is also the founder of Windows From Gaza, a cultural center that offers art courses for children and gallery exhibitions.

For more information: Visit Windows from Gaza’s website, visit al-Maqosoui’s Flickr profile.