Jamal Al Mahamel III (The Camel. Carrier of Hardships III) 2005

Curator: Oh, there's a heavy story written all over this one. The way the man’s shoulders are slumped... it just whispers of endurance. Editor: We’re looking at "Jamal Al Mahamel III (The Camel. Carrier of Hardships III)" by Sliman Mansour, painted in 2005. It's an acrylic on canvas, portraying a man bearing a cityscape on his back. Curator: A whole city! He’s literally carrying its weight! The cool tones and diffused light give it this dreamlike—or maybe even nightmarish—quality. And the curve that carries the town itself creates a haunting halo effect around him. Do you feel that melancholic pull, too? Editor: Absolutely. The "Camel" metaphor here is crucial. Mansour is drawing on a long history of the camel as a symbol of resilience and survival in Arab culture. To show this man burdened by the cityscape suggests a collective suffering, the weight of history and displacement that Palestinians carry. Curator: The loose wraps that seem to form the halo shape around the city. Are those tattered prayer beads? Maybe they evoke stories and dreams holding up his burden? It could be nothing… but to me, the curve evokes all those swirling, bittersweet stories you’d get sipping mint tea on a hazy afternoon. Editor: And think about that dome—it clearly represents Jerusalem, a potent symbol of cultural and national identity. Mansour often engages with themes of resistance and the preservation of Palestinian heritage. In this piece, he visualizes how history is embedded in the very bodies of the people. This evokes questions about who gets to write the narratives and carry on the story. Curator: And this piece manages to do so with so few clear statements. He gives the essence of this heavy lifting, then lets the soul fill it in with feeling. The longer I gaze, the more its presence hums within me. Editor: Indeed. Mansour gives us a striking reminder of the intimate connection between people, their land, and the enduring strength it takes to carry the weight of that bond.