Palestinian artist Sliman Mansour, giant of resistance art, dies aged 79

Sliman Mansour, a celebrated Palestinian painter known for his depictions of his country's struggle for liberation, passed away on August 24, 2026, at the age of 79 in Jerusalem. His family shared the news on Instagram, citing an earlier report that the artist was in critical condition. The cause of death has not been disclosed.

Mansour's family expressed their grief, stating that the artist left behind a life filled with beauty, memory, and a legacy that would endure through those he had touched. In their statement, they mourned the loss of a father, a source of love, strength, and home.

Born in Birzeit, Palestine, just months after the Nakba and the establishment of the State of Israel, Mansour's life was inextricably linked to the Palestinian struggle. Throughout his career, he endured imprisonment, beatings, and threats from the Israeli government, yet he remained resolute in his commitment to human rights through his art. Based in Ramallah, West Bank, Mansour chronicled the lives of Palestinians before and after the occupation, capturing the devastation inflicted by the Israeli military.

In a 2023 interview with Hyperallergic, Mansour expressed the sensitivity of Palestinian identity to the Israelis, who sought to deny its existence. He emphasized that the artist and his intellectual peers had a responsibility to assert their presence through their work. Mansour's paintings served as a testament to the Palestinian spirit, affirming their existence and resilience in the face of adversity.