For Palestine.

I haven't been able to get the invasion of Gaza off my mind. Can't forget the images I've seen of so much suffering and the deaths of innocents, that photo of children's little feet sticking out from rubble that crushed them and now skeletal children starving while Israel's military prevents hundreds of aid trucks filled with food and medicine from entering.

I want to reiterate that my anger is directed at the govt of Israel, not Jewish people. Very many Jewish people are actually leading the cry for a permanent ceasefire, they know what this kind of ethnic cleansing leads to.

I've spoken out, I've donated hundreds between the UNRWA and Doctors Without Borders but none of it seems like enough as the killing of innocent civilians continues. So, now I'm turning to art. I had this idea in mind for a couple months and at first the depression over this situation overwhelmed any inspiration I had, but I finally finished.
I simply needed somewhere to put my emotions about Gaza, and wanted to contribute something to help keep the message alive. This idea has been on my mind for months and to me, wings have always been a symbol of freedom, of liberation, and so I thought they'd be an appropriate symbol here.

The kites are important as well.

They're inspired by this poem by a Palestinian poet who was killed in this current invasion:

“IF I MUST DIE”

BY REFAAT ALAREER

If I must die,

you must live

to tell my story

to sell my things

to buy a piece of cloth

and some strings,

(make it white with a long tail)

so that a child, somewhere in Gaza

while looking heaven in the eye

awaiting his dad who left in a blaze—

and bid no one farewell

not even to his flesh

not even to himself—

sees the kite, my kite you made, flying up above

and thinks for a moment an angel is there

bringing back love

If I must die

let it bring hope

let it be a tale

~

You are free to print this image out for protest and personal use. Sharing on social media is also permitted, please credit me and don't remove or alter the watermarks. No commercial or for-profit use.

To see a bit of the painting time lapse, I put that on the clock app here: https://www.tiktok.com/@fancyfairyangela/video/7347087501795872046?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7252895192945722926