Laila Rashad Shawa: A Voice Through Art

Laila Rashad Shawa, born on April 4, 1940, in Gaza, Mandatory Palestine, was a prominent figure in the world of contemporary art. Her artistic influence has been profound, inspiring a generation of artists with her thought-provoking artwork that resonates internationally.

Raised as the daughter of Rashad Shawa, a prominent Palestinian statesman and mayor of Gaza City, she was exposed to the political struggles of her homeland from a young age. This exposure provided her with deep cultural insight into the struggles and resilience of the Palestinian people, which she expressed through her art.

Laila received a comprehensive education, attending the Leonardo da Vinci Art Institute in Cairo from 1957 to 1958 and the Accademia di Belle Arti di Roma in Rome from 1958 to 1964. During her summers, she furthered her artistic studies at the School of Seeing in Salzburg, Austria.

Upon completing her education, Laila returned to Gaza in 1965 and dedicated herself to teaching arts and crafts in various refugee camps. She also worked as an art teacher under UNESCO’s education program for a year. In 1967, she moved to Beirut, Lebanon, where she spent nine years as a full-time painter. Unfortunately, her time in Beirut coincided with the outbreak of the Lebanese Civil War. Consequently, she decided to return to Gaza, where she, with support from her father and husband, established the Rashad Shawa Cultural Centre. Regrettably, the center is no longer being used for its intended purpose as a cultural hub due to the prevailing circumstances in Gaza.

In 1992, Laila created the renowned painting titled “Hands of Fatima.” This masterpiece, measuring eighty-nine centimeters in height and seventy centimeters in width, featured oil and acrylics on canvas. It displayed a dark background adorned with a yellow crescent moon, juxtaposed with vibrant depictions of veiled women wearing niqabs, each with unique patterns. The women’s hands bore the symbol of the evil eye and intricate henna designs. This painting was part of her “Women and Magic” series, which delved into the prevalent practice of magic and witchcraft in the Middle East.

Laila gained international acclaim in 1994 when she collaborated with artists Mona Hatoum and Balqees Fakhro in the exhibition “Forces of Change: Artists of the Arab World” at the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington DC. One of her most notable works in the 21st century was “Walls of Gaza III, Fashionista Terorrista” (2010), a screen print derived from her own photographs. This piece symbolically portrayed Palestinian resistance through garments adorned with a Swarovski crystal New York patch, shedding light on the West’s appropriation of Arab struggles as a fashion statement.

Today, Laila Shawa’s impactful creations are proudly displayed on Gifting Spree, allowing her legacy to live on through her art. Laila Shawa passed away on October 24, 2022, leaving behind a lasting imprint on the world of contemporary art and the ongoing conversation about the Palestinian struggle.