DESPITE > Sixteen Palestinian Artists Under One Roof > Rich Mix Gallery London > December 7-28 @ArtsCanteen

Dina Mattar > acrylic on canvas > 100x100cm.

East London’s Rich Mix gallery space will host 'Despite', a striking exhibition of work by sixteen Palestinian artists living both in Palestine and the diaspora. Despite the conflict, these artists have never stopped flourishing creatively.

Opening on Friday 7^th December 2012 the exhibition, co-curated by Aser El Saqqa of Arts Canteen and Nicola Gray, demonstrates that in the space and practice of art, there is an opportunity to overcome, believe in and engage with renewal and regeneration.

Mohammed Al Hawajri > Mixed media on paper > 65x50cm

The exhibition will be from Friday 7^th December until Friday 28^th December 2012 with a private view from 6.30pm to 8pm on Thursday 6^th December 2012.

Participating artists are: Nidal Abu Oun, Mohamed Abusal, Jawad Al Malhi, Mohamed Al Hawajri, Nabil Anani, Tayseer Barakat, Rana Bishara, Mohammed Joha, Raed Issa, Mohammed Musalam, Dina Mattar, Rima Muzayan, Hosni Radwan, Majed Shala, Shareef Sarhan and Hani Zurob. Eleven of these artists are from Gaza.

Hani Zurob, participating artist, said:

“This is a unique opportunity for me. It is my debut in London and the first time to participate in a collective exhibition with my contemporaries and peers from within and outside Palestine.”

Co-curator Nicola Gray writes that:

 “‘Despite’ explores the juxtaposition of our ‘real’ structured environments with the artistic imagination, drawing on bleak images of humiliation and restricted movement alongside sheer visible enjoyment in the colour, light and matter of the world we share. It challenges preconceptions and, we hope, will inspire curiosity and further exploration.”

For more information, visit http://www.richmix.org.uk/whats-on/event/despite/.