‘A giant of Palestinian and Arab art’: Tributes pour in for Sliman Mansour

Tributes have flooded in for Sliman Mansour, a towering figure in contemporary Palestinian art, following his passing at the age of 79. Born in Birzeit, Mansour devoted over half a century to capturing Palestinian identity, displacement and resistance through his paintings and sculptures. His family announced his death on Monday, stating that he left behind "a life filled with beauty, memory, and a legacy that will continue to live through all those he touched".

Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi, an Emirati writer, researcher and founder of Barjeel Art Foundation, described the world as having lost a giant of modern Arab art. Al Qassemi highlighted that few artists illustrated Palestinian life as Mansour did, whether it was the olive tree, the spirit of resilience or the beauty of Palestinian life and culture.

He added that Mansour was part of a group of Palestinian artists who, in the aftermath of the first Intifada in the 1980s, defied Israeli restrictions on Palestinian life by using locally sourced materials like mud and straw in their art. Mansour's works became some of the most recognizable in the Arab world, even for those who are not deeply engaged or knowledgeable about art.

Al Qassemi emphasized that Mansour's figurative style was immediately recognized by all Palestinians and was adapted into various forms, such as posters, T-shirts, tattoos and mobile phone wallpapers. When Palestinians needed an image of love, life, or resilience, they often turned to a painting by Sliman Mansour. Ahmed Al Bahrani, a renowned Iraqi sculptor, also paid tribute to Mansour on social media, calling him "a great teacher.

An artist of conviction and a cause, who painted his homeland while never leaving it". Al Bahrani noted that Mansour's works were not painted from afar but were a part of him, carried with him like an unhealing wound. He remained faithful to his cause, dedicating all his art to championing his people and turning his colors and art into an act of resistance.

The Palestine Museum expressed its deep loss, describing Mansour as a beloved face of Palestine and one of those who, over decades, taught the community how to see the country. The museum stated that throughout his life, Mansour continued to paint the land and carry it with him – its land, people, villages, cities, olive trees, homes and faces.

For the museum, Palestine was not merely the subject of Mansour's work but its very purpose. Over the decades, his paintings became a vital way through which Palestinians preserved the country and imagined it.