Lasting Impressions: Ismail Shammout and Tamam El-Akhal

Sharjah Art Museum released this book accompanying the exhibition “Lasting Impressions: Ismail Shammout and Tamam El-Akhal”.

Ismail Shammout has long been recognized as Palestine’s leading modernist painter. His prominent style employs familiar symbols of Palestinian traditions and culture that have contributed to constructing a visual narrative of Palestinian nationalism continuing to influence today’s generation of Palestinian, as well as Middle Eastern artists. Shammout who, at the age of 18, during the Nakba, was forced by the Israeli and Jewish forces to flee from his birthplace [Lydda – Palestine] and take refuge in a refugee camp in Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip is today one of the most renowned Arab artists. His wife, Tamam El-Akhal who herself also experienced the tragedy of expulsion from her home in Jaffa during the Nakba in May 1948 became also a leading figure in the Palestinian Arts scene and was instrumental in the development of Shammout’s career. Both artists contributed by that decisively to the artistic visual preservation of the Palestinian tragedy and history and together significantly marked the modern collective memory and cultural heritage of Palestine.

This book presents the outstanding works by Shammout and El-Akhal from different periods, that aims to reflect the main stages in the artistic careers of both artists and allows a deep and emotional view in the tragedy, hope and pride of the Palestinian people.

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