The Middle East in cartoons

www.nakba60.org.uk In association with Political Cartoon Society, Cartoon County and the family of Naji Al-Ali present 'Shooting the Witness' exhibition by Naji Al-Ali at The Political Cartoon Gallery, until 19 April.

For the first time since the assassination of Al-Ali, 50 of his original illustrations will be exhibited in Political Cartoon Gallery.

Shooting the Witness is an exhibition featuring the work of the late Palestinian cartoonist, Naji al-Ali, to commemorate 60 years to the Palestinian Nakba and the 20th anniversary of al-Ali's assassination in London.

Naji al-Ali was one of the most prominent cartoonists in the Arab world. Sarcastic, poignant and perhaps too bold, al-Ali's cartoons were drawn from his experience as a Palestinian refugee from childhood and clearly reflected his political stance. Naji al-Ali had no political affiliations and the absence of slogans and dogma in his work brought both success and criticism. His bold and illustrative cartoons, widely published over the past 20-30 years, reveal the tragic state of the Middle East. The artist combined art and political satire like none other; his work sadly still rings true today.

Al- Ali's cartoons portrayed the bitter struggle and plight of the Palestinian people against Israeli oppression. He also campaigned against the absence of democracy and the gross inequality in the Arab world, and the widespread corruption of Arab leaders and their alliances with colonial superpowers against the interests of their people. Naji al-Ali draws a sincere critique of all sides in the conflict, and the world's complicity in the prolonged occupation of the Palestinians, in simple, mesmerizing lines. He was said to have antagonized virtually everyone in the Middle East.

During his lifetime, Naji was said to have drawn around 15,000 drawings, on average two cartoons a day. He worked for various prominent publications in the Arab world, including the Al-Safir, Al-Qabas and Al-Khalij; his work was published daily in Cairo, Beirut, Kuwait, Tunis, Abu Dhabi, London and Paris.

The Exhibition

Shooting the Witness exhibition will showcase 50 original art works of the late Naji al-Ali over a period of period of 6 weeks, starting from 7th March 2008. The works are thematically arranged to cover Middle Eastern political topics such as oil in the Arab world, women, political prisoners, Arab leaders and Palestinian refugees.

Venue: The Political Cartoon Gallery
The Political Cartoon Gallery is the world's only centre dedicated to Political Cartoons and Caricature. Only at the Political Cartoon Gallery can you purchase the finest original cartoons by leading political cartoonists from both the past and the present.

Opening hours:

7 March - 19 April
Monday, Wednesday & Friday: 9:30am - 5:30pm
Tuesday & Thursday: 9:30am - 7:30pm
Saturday: 11:30am - 5:30pm

The gallery is located in London's West End, close to Goodge Street Station,
Tottenham Court Road and only 10 minutes walk from Oxford Circus.

For more information please contact Gallery at: 0207 580 1114

info@politicalcartoon.co.uk/ info@nakba60.org.uk

SOAS Palestine Society
Thornhaugh Street
Russell Square, London
WC1H 0XG
Email:palsoc@soas.ac.uk
www.palestinesociety.org