Tayseer Barakat

Tayseer Barakat is one of the most influential artists in the Palestinian contemporary art scene. His work explores Palestinian history, memory, folklore, and cultural heritage. Working across painting, drawing, and installation, he often uses natural and found materials to create works that reflect his connection to Palestinian land and traditions. His earthy colours, symbolic figures, and textured surfaces bring together elements of the past and present, creating works that reflect themes of identity, loss, resilience, and belonging.

Born in 1959 in Jabaliya Refugee Camp in Gaza, Barakat studied painting at the College of Fine Arts at Helwan University in Cairo, graduating in 1983. His experience of growing up in a refugee camp has had a strong influence on his artistic practice and his interest in Palestinian history and memory. He was a founding member of the New Visions group, established during the First Intifada with artists Sliman Mansour, Nabil Anani, and Vera Tamari. Barakat currently lives and works in Ramallah, where he continues to develop his artistic practice.