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Bateekha
15 Sep-18 Sep 2026
Gallery 1957, London
Bateekha
15 Sept - 18 Sept 2026
Gallery 1957
1 Hyde Park Gate
London SW7 5EW
UK
From Symbol to Sculpture The watermelon - Bateekha in Arabic - has long been an enduring symbol of defiance, pride, and resilience for Palestinians. Its colours mirror those of the Palestinian flag, making it a quiet act of resistance. Through this project, the watermelon is transformed from an emblem of quiet protest into a sculptural statement of cultural endurance and hope. Each Bateekha is a handcrafted fiberglass cast of a real watermelon, originally sourced from the streets of Cairo and moulded in Old Cairo's traditional craft district. These blank forms are then sent to leading international artists to be reimagined as unique works of art.
Participating artists: Mohamed Abla, Ghada Amer, Nabil Anani, Ghazi Baker, Dana Bargawi, Louis Barthélemy, Rana Begum, Caroline Burraway, Claudia Cantoni, Lamis Dajani Shawwa, Gamal El Kheshen, Adham Faramawy, Aya Gamil, Nadine Kanso, Peter Kennard, Amale Freiha Khlat, Leila Kubba Kawash, Pablo de Laborde Lascaris, Huda Lutfi, Malak Mattar, Gil Moalem Doran, Nada Mobarak, Adeline de Monseignat, Maya Sanbar, Marwa El, Shazly, Janan Shihadeh, Hedayat Taymour, Juliet Williams.
