In 2009, Susan Johnson never thought the exhibit she had in mind would now be travelling throughout the United States, let alone that there would be an international community advocating showing the art in their own cities.
A Child’s View from Gaza is an exhibit put together in different after-school children’s centres throughout Gaza. These centres serve as therapy programs for the young children of Gaza who witnessed the destruction of Operation Cast Lead.
It’s been a long process for Johnson to get the artwork out from Gaza to the U.S., but in 2010 the art exhibit A Child’s View from Gaza began touring. By mid-2011, after a controversy in Oakland over the artwork, awareness of the gallery rose quickly.
Johnson went to Gaza in 2009, and after witnessing the trauma that the children of Gaza had been through, decided to work with the children’s centres to get the children’s art out to the international community.
Johnson and the children of Gaza had to face many obstacles throughout the process of formulating their artwork. Shortage of materials, due to strict border controls of the supplies that enter and leave the Gaza Strip, was a constant concern.
“They didn’t have paper, some of them only had crayons. I started to worry that it would be a hardship on them to follow my directions,” says Johnson.
The artwork made its way out of Gaza and was first shown in the U.S. in 2010.
Johnson had only shown the artwork in small galleries by this point, so there was little controversy over it. But, by the summer of 2011, the Middle East Children’s Alliance (MECA) was set to show the artwork in the Museum of Children’s Art (MOCA) in Oakland. This is where controversy began.
According to Johnson, a pro-Israeli lobby got word A Child’s View from Gaza was to be shown and pressured the museum to not show the exhibit.
“They said it shouldn’t be in a children’s museum, that children shouldn’t see it, even though children made it,” says Johnson.
This led to further awareness about the exhibit as the media began to pay attention.
“The fact that they were cancelled was on AOL, Democracy Now. People became aware of it,” says Johnson.
Johnson believes the importance here is that the exhibit received the attention it needed and made people aware of the horrors that were being faced by the children of Gaza.
“Children are usually honest. They really depict what happened during Operation Cast Lead — the horrors of it. The children’s feelings [and] emotions jump off the page,” says Johnson.
The importance of the exhibit being “a child’s view” cannot be expressed enough. Johnson believes it is because the exhibit is from a child’s view that it is accepted in our society.
“If the work were done by adults they would be accused of all kind of things, and it’s very difficult to do that with something a child has done,” she says.
Amal Musse, a student at the University of Manitoba, believes having the exhibit on campus will open discussion to a better understanding of what is happening in the region.
“People are more aware [now] rather than speaking and not knowing the facts,” she says.
This is exactly what Johnson hopes to accomplish through the exhibit.
“It’s my contribution trying to wake up the people of the world,” says Johnson.
A Child’s View from Gaza will be on display at the University of Manitoba’s Gallery of Student Art from Nov. 28 – Dec. 2.
It was shown in California- turned out a lot of the pictures weren’t done by children after all- and some were copied directly from anti-Israel propaganda posters.
@Dinna
I’m interested in how you learned this. I’ve searched and I see no reference to the idea that the pictures were not created by children.
I just googled it. The organization that set up the exhibit, the Mid east Childrens alliance, located in Berkeley California pulled a bait and switch with a local childrens museum. The pictures that were eventually produced had violent anti-semitic imagery and the childrens museum became uncomfortable showing them near very young children. As a result, the mid-east childrens alliance protested the Oakland Childrens museaum and hijacked their facebook page.
Its chronicled here:
http://elderofziyon.blogspot.com/2011/09/fake-child-artists-of-gaza.html
and
http://proisraelbaybloggers.blogspot.com/2011/09/protesting-childrens-art-museum-meca-to.html
and
http://proisraelbaybloggers.blogspot.com/2011/09/protesting-childrens-museum-meca-vs.html
and
http://proisraelbaybloggers.blogspot.com/2011/10/mocha-board-dismisses-accusations-of.html
Does anyone have a non bias source for that information. Elder of Zion is an extremely bias, 100% pro-Israeli state, zionist BLOG. Not a neutral news or academic source. If these pictures were fake there would certainly be more sources. They have been displayed many times since the Oakland incident, as well.
Actually, according to the sponsors, the exhibit is in Oakland this week, so James is mistaken. The blogs are certainly biased, but they show the posters alongside professionally made anti-Israel propaganda materials- the similarities are unmistakable. And really, would school children in Gaza caption their drawings in English? I cant think of any reason they would,unless they were told that this drawings were for western consumption, and they had significant adult help
I just looked at the pictures. The average Canadian 2nd grader couldnt spell ambulance, but the Gaza child can. Does that seem realistic? Even more disturbing are the gratuitous Jewish stars through out the art. this work is meant to defame and demonize, not just Israel, but the Jewish people as well
There just doesn’t seem to be any proof that this art is fake. The only “proof” that people have is:
1. The art is too good to be draw by children
2. One of the pictures looks like the IAW 2009 poster
Regarding point 1, to me, it doesn’t look to be “too good” to be drawn by children. I’m not an art expert, but none of the pieces I’ve seen really have the good foreshortening or perspective that would indicate that that they are drawn by an adult or someone with serious art training. Some of the art looks fairly good for children’s work, but nothing looks beyond the capability of that one classmate we all had in grade 8 who could draw good.
Regarding point 2, “a helicopter shooting a kid” doesn’t seem like such a totally unique concept. Perhaps the child and Latuff both took inspiration from Israeli helicopters firing missiles into Gaza. Or, perhaps the child saw the IAW poster somewhere (either a paper version or on the internet) and took it as inspiration. This also doesn’t seem out of the realm of possibility – IAW events have been held in Palestine, and I have personally seen a poster for IAW hanging in Nablus.
re: “Fake art”
According to the MECA website, the art is made by children age 8 to 14. Are you saying that it’s not possible for a Palestinian 14 year old to know how to spell as good as a Canadian 7 year old? Or knows how to ask an adult how to spell something?
Secondly, the Star of David is used on both the Israeli flag, and a modified version on the Israeli Air force. If you wanted to identify something (say, a tank or a fighter plane) in a picture you were drawing as Israeli, what logo would you put on there?
Or, lets say you were a child trying to draw a Canadian military aircraft. How would you identify it as Canadian? Of course, you would draw a maple leaf on it – it is on Canada’s flag, and on the RCAF’s roundel which is painted on Canadian military aircraft. But if you draw a maple leaf as the symbol of Canada and of the RCAF, does that mean you are defaming and demonizing not just Canada, but maple syrup as well?
If putting pictures of the Star of David on military technology to identify it as Israeli is anti-semitic, does that mean that the Israeli Air Force is anti-semitic and defaming and demonizing Jewish people around the world for painting “gratuitous Jewish stars” on its fleet of military aircraft?
There just doesn’t seem to be any proof that this art is fake. The only “proof” that people have is:
1. The art is too good to be draw by children
2. One of the pictures looks like the IAW 2009 poster
Regarding point 1, to me, it doesn’t look to be “too good” to be drawn by children. I’m not an art expert, but none of the pieces I’ve seen really have the good foreshortening or perspective that would indicate that that they are drawn by an adult or someone with serious art training. Some of the art looks fairly good for children’s work, but nothing looks beyond the capability of that one classmate we all had in grade 8 who could draw good.
Regarding point 2, “a helicopter shooting a kid” doesn’t seem like such a totally unique concept. Perhaps the child and Latuff both took inspiration from Israeli helicopters firing missiles into Gaza. Or, perhaps the child saw the IAW poster somewhere (either a paper version or on the internet) and took it as inspiration. This also doesn’t seem out of the realm of possibility – IAW events have been held in Palestine, and I have personally seen a poster for IAW hanging in Nablus.
re: “Fake art”
According to the MECA website, the art is made by children age 8 to 14. Are you saying that it’s not possible for a Palestinian 14 year old to know how to spell as good as a Canadian 7 year old? Or knows how to ask an adult how to spell something?
Secondly, the Star of David is used on both the Israeli flag, and a modified version on the Israeli Air force. If you wanted to identify something (say, a tank or a fighter plane) in a picture you were drawing as Israeli, what logo would you put on there?
Or, lets say you were a child trying to draw a Canadian military aircraft. How would you identify it as Canadian? Of course, you would draw a maple leaf on it – it is on Canada’s flag, and on the RCAF’s roundel which is painted on Canadian military aircraft. But if you draw a maple leaf as the symbol of Canada and of the RCAF, does that mean you are defaming and demonizing not just Canada, but maple syrup as well?
If putting pictures of the Star of David on military technology to identify it as Israeli is anti-semitic, does that mean that the Israeli Air Force is anti-semitic and defaming and demonizing Jewish people around the world for painting “gratuitous Jewish stars” on its fleet of military aircraft?
Why would a child in Gaza caption drawings in English, unless they were told it was for an exhibit in the West? And if they were told it was for an exhibit in the west, then the “art” was created for propaganda purposes- not as a spontaeous expression of a child’s feelings. That would explain the American flag on the missiles- that in itself is singular proof that the children did not “draw what they saw”, but rather created propaganda at an adults behest , for the express purpose of exhibition in the west.
As an exhibit on the exploitation of children for political purposes, this should be fascinating to see. I’d love to have some art classes in to analyze it as well.
Incidently, several years ago, I saw an art exhibit created by American children living near ground zero. Not a single child incorporated anti-Islamic symbolism into their creation, unlike the art of the children of Gaza. Its the difference between a culture that is inculcated to teach hate and to demonize, and a culture that teaches tolerance and diversity
If you want to know why children in Gaza might write the english word “Ambulance” on an ambulance, try going to google image search and typing in “gaza ambulance”. You will see pictures of ambulances in Gaza with “Ambulance” on them in big red letters.
Honestly, if I’m going to believe that the art is “fake,” someone is going to have to show me some serious proof. Seems to me like these accusations are a pathetic attempt to smear the exhibit by posting wild claims without proof.
And if I’m going to believe the art is anti-semitic because of pictures of the star of David on military equipment, you’ve got a lot bigger fish to fry. There is an organization out there with a multi-billion dollar budget that has been painting “gratuitous Jewish stars” on military equipment for several decades, which is often photographed, sometimes even by representatives of that organization. These anti-semites are known as the Israeli Air Force, and are known to be dangerous and heavily armed.
Also, I find it curious that people are accusing the art of being fake, and then turning around and saying that the children of Gaza are anti-semitic for drawing it. You can’t have your cake and eat it too.
Its possible after the fiasco in Oakland, that the forged “childrens” art has been replaced with actual childrens art. We may not even see the controversial drawings. We should reserve judgement until the pictures of are shown.
How does one “prove” that pictures are fake? All over the web, people who saw the orginial exhibit, people experienced with art and art education have said that many of the pictures were not draw by children. I’d be curious what our own experts have to say
“They really depict what happened during Operation Cast Lead” “Children draw what they see” These are feel good platitudes with no basis in reality, though. Children didn’t see a missile with an American flag on it. Children didnt see bombs with jewish stars on them. Children were taught that the big and little Satan, the USA and Israel were behind their misfortunes, Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain- the autocratic terror organized by the Hamas leadership of Gaza which has subjected the children of southern Israel to 10,000 rocket attacks since Israel pulled out of Gaza.
Has anyone considered that an exhibit of the art of the children of Sderot , side by side with the art from Gaza might make a powerful statement about the price children pay during periods of war? I do get the idea that this exhibit isnt about balance however.
Henry, if you have a good idea for a submission for GoSA, you’re more than welcome to make a submission here: http://www.umsu.ca/services-a-programs-umsumenu-3/gallery-of-student-art-umsumenu-46
The drawings at the least were heavy coached, and some were definitely the work of adults.
My best guess is that adult drawings were displayed and children were urged to copy them. My expertise? I’ve been teaching art to children for 17 years.
let me clear up some fuzzy information.
#1. MECA did not organize the exhibit, I did!! #2 The drawings were created in Gaza by children age 7 to 14 some quite talented.#3 They were asked to draw pictures for me to put in the exhibit. #4 they drew what they saw in person or on TV or heard about…almost everyone in Gaza has seen destruction and lost family or friends. . #5 Political expression is not uncommon for teens. #6 They see landmines, missiles, munitions stamped made in USA and are aware of the association between USA and Israel
#7 This should be a time to learn what a child in Gaza has experienced, what they feel and why. It’s an opportunity for the viewer to learn…you are not asked to agree with what you see, you are asked to put pre-conceived “facts” aside and be a bit open minded . Put prejudice aside! When have you ever heard the “voice” of Gaza’s children?
The children near ground zero had not been subject to years and years of invasion and bombs and missiles It was a horrible trauma but should not be compared to an ongoing trauma as exists in Gaza, or Darfur or Vietnam, etc.