Issam Mukhaymer

Born 1990 Gaza City, Palestine

Displaced in Deir Al-Balah

Issam Mukhaymer paints on walls as if they were canvas for experimentation and improvisation. His lively style allows his subject matter space to live with dignity, beauty and purpose. For the biennale, Mukhaymer will paint four murals in the largest refugee camp in Gaza, in Deir al-Balah, his place of displacement. Each mural will convey a different idea. A key aspect of the project will be documenting the process of creating these murals, capturing the moments of interaction with children, their joy, the reactions of the passersby, the sadness of the displaced people, and the participation of the children, who will leave their handprints on the wall. Simple gifts will also be distributed to the participants. The final mural images will be photographed in high quality to be printed and re-exhibited alongside the video documentation.

Warning represents the suffering of the Palestinian people in this war. The aim is to reflect their pain while preserving the resilience and dignity of the Palestinian people.

We Are Innocent depicts the daily struggles of displaced children, for example, how they struggle to fetch water every day. This represents their perseverance and strength in holding on to life despite the hardships.

A New Day includes safety warnings about the dangers of unexploded ordnance and landmines: Do not touch. Do not approach. Do not collect. Do not tamper with. It will also feature visual elements that serve as an illustration for these messages.

Let’s Help Our Children carries positive, supportive messages of hope and optimism for our children. For example: “Hope is the light that guides us through the dark times.” “Your inner strength is greater than you think.” It will also include visual elements that complement these messages.

Issam Mukhaymer is a visual artist from Gaza. He has participated in numerous exhibitions and has several oil paintings collected abroad. In 2017, he received the Late Ismail Shmout Award from Dar al-Kalima in Bethlehem. In 2019, he held his first exhibition, Faces and Issues, supported by the Palestinian Embassy in Cairo (Cairo Atelier). In 2022, he collaborated with the Italian institution Gazafreestyle to paint a mural about women on the Gaza port wall. In 2024, he worked with Gazafreestyle and ACS to paint a twenty-meter-long and five-meter-high mural in Deir al-Balah. Now displaced, Mukhaymer spends his time creating murals to inspire hope and optimism in the hearts of displaced people.