Malak Matter is a young artist born and raised in Gaza. She began painting with watercolour and plain paper to express her emotions and cope with the trauma brought about by the 2014 Gaza War. She moved on to using acrylics and canvas when her family learned how talented and passionate she was about her painting. Mohammed Musallam, her Uncle and fellow Gazen artist, became Malak’s mentor.
After graduating from high school, Malak was offered a place at Istanbul Aydın University, where she studied political science and international relations. In 2023, she gained her master’s Degree at Central Saint Martins, London.
Mattar focuses on bright colours and positive subjects such as hope and peace. Birds also play a significant role in her paintings as a sign of freedom—unless when caged, of course. Her expressionist style has been compared to that of Picasso and Matisse. Frida Kahlo has been a significant source of inspiration for her. But nothing motivates Matak more than her beloved Gaza.
Malak Matter has exhibited her paintings worldwide, including in Bristol, London, and Washington, D.C.
Malak Matter’s Gaza Paintings.
Here are some of Malak Matter’s beautiful paintings, also available in limited print format and signed by the great artist herself. We have included Malak Matters original short, but meaningful, titles and descriptions from her Art Store listings.
Last Night In Gasa.
Last night in Gaza is one of latest artwork I finished in Gaza. Painful to have witnessed a fourth major attack in my vacation and anxious to cross the worst border ever.
MalakArtStore
Did you know sunbirds are the national birds of Palestine and you see them anywhere you go?
Another Gaza Morning.
Palestinian girl with jewel box.
MalakArtStore
Zebra Made in Gaza.
Made in Gaza,
MalakArtStore
Morning in Gaza.
This is home.
MalakArtStore
Children of Gaza Dreaming of Peace.
Whenever we hear the word Gaza we need to remember that half of its population are children.
MalakArtStore
Shelter.
During the assault on Gaza in May 2021, there were no bomb shelters, no safe place one could go. We could only stay close, in our homes, and hope not to be killed. This was deeply traumatic. Yet this situation also created and deepened connections within families. In the midst of this terrible destruction, there was real love. This is how Palestinian survive.
MalakArtStore
That’s all of Malak’s colourful artwork for now. We will be adding more of them to this blog post as they are all so beautiful. But in the meantime, if you would like to check out all her other works, you can check them out here in her Etsy Art shop, where you can also order a limited print if you wish.
* Etsy User Photographs are shared here, with the authorisation granted to Etsy and their partners under section 5c of Etsy’s terms of use to promote Etsy, its services and its products.
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