SLIMAN MANSOUR (PALESTINIAN, B. 1947)
Promenade to Beit Dajan

Signed in Arabic and English with 'S. Mansour, 1993' on lower left
Mud, straw and mixed media on wood
119cm x 136cm (total)

Born in 1947 in Birzeit, Palestinian painter Sliman Mansour is one of the most a significant figures among contemporary Palestinian artists. He has established himself as an artist dedicated to giving visual expression to Palestinian identity, showcasing the beauty and resilience of Palestinian culture in his work. His contributions to Palestinian artistic institutions include his roles as head of the League of Palestinian Artists (1986-1990), and director of the Al-Wasiti Art Center in East Jerusalem (1996-2003), which he co-founded. Mansour is also a member of the founding board of directors of the International Academy of Art Palestine, established in Ramallah in 2004.
In his painting, Mansour utilises iconic symbols such as orange trees (a reference to the 1948 Nakba) and women in recognisably Palestinian clothing, highlighting traditional village culture and craft. Mud and other natural materials are central to Mansour's practice, tied to his co-founding of the 'New Visions' artistic collective (where Mansour was joined by fellow Palestinian artists Tayseer Barakat, Vera Tamari, and Nabil Anani) during the First Intifada (1987-1993). This initiative aimed to boycott Israeli supplies and instead promote the use of Palestinian materials such as coffee, hay, mud, and henna - allowing Mansour to connect his art to the land in a visceral, deeply personal manner.
Sliman Mansour resides and works in East Jerusalem, Palestine.

Provenance
Acquired directly from the artist by the present owner

Exhibited
Khalil Sakakini Center, 'Ten Years in Mud', 2001