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Clay and Memory: A Workshop Inspired by Sliman Mansour
24 July, 2025
Clay and Memory: A Workshop Inspired by Sliman Mansour
“On July 13, a clay workshop was held in Nablus, rooted in the land, and inspired by the visual language I’ve spent a lifetime exploring. Organized by Art to Heart in collaboration with the Palestinian Museum, it brought together children with special needs and their families to shape the earth with their hands and imagination.” — Sliman Mansour
That summer day in Nablus, the spirit of art and belonging filled the air as more than 80 participants—children with disabilities, their families, and members of the local community—came together around a shared table of clay at Art to Heart. Guided by the timeless techniques of renowned Palestinian artist Sliman Mansour, the workshop offered more than just creative expression. It became a space of connection, memory, and healing.
Art to Heart is an art center in Nablus dedicated to inclusion and creative expression. At the heart of its mission is the Bridges Day Club, an inclusive daytime program that offers people with disabilities (PWD) a space to explore, create, and connect through art. Many of the participants in this workshop were members of the Bridges Club—some of them budding artists—who joined the session with enthusiasm. Their presence added a layer of richness to the event, reflecting Art to Heart’s belief that art is most meaningful when it is accessible to all.
What began as a hands-on activity for children quickly evolved into a multi-generational moment of creativity, reflection, and connection. Parents, especially mothers, who came to observe soon found themselves working side by side with their children, rediscovering the tactile joy and expressive power of clay.
The workshop was deeply inspired by the legacy and techniques of Sliman Mansour, one of Palestine’s most influential visual artists. Known for his use of clay and natural materials, Mansour’s work speaks to themes of identity, heritage, and cultural resilience. In 1989, during the First Intifada, Mansour—along with Nabil Anani, Vera Tamari, and Tayseer Barakat—formed the New Vision art movement. In response to a national boycott of Israeli goods, the group turned to locally sourced materials like mud, straw, wood, and natural dyes, creating work that was grounded in the Palestinian landscape, both physically and symbolically.
From his hometown of Birzeit, Mansour began experimenting with clay until it became his primary medium. One of his most recognized pieces, On the Wing of an Angel, reimagines Jerusalem through textured, cracked clay—capturing the city’s complexity, fragility, and beauty. His work remains a profound reflection of collective memory, loss, and hope.
In that spirit, the Nablus workshop invited families to reimagine the Old City through clay. With guidance from Abdullah Abu AlSoud (Palestinian Museum) and Yara Al-Qubaj (Art to Heart), participants created miniature clay cityscapes that wove together imagination and memory, shaping homes, alleys, and landmarks that hold deep personal and cultural meaning.
As part of a larger national art initiative, each clay tile made during the workshop will contribute to a traveling mural project led by the Palestinian Museum. The collective artwork—started in Birzeit, now passing through Nablus, and soon to be completed in Bethlehem—aims to bring together voices and visions from across Palestine. One tile at a time, the mural is forming a shared map of place, identity, and belonging.
More than just an afternoon activity, the workshop was a reflection of Art to Heart’s core values: inclusion, creativity, and connection through culture. It offered a space where everyone—regardless of age or ability—could take part in a shared act of remembering, imagining, and making.
