AHMAD CANAAN

Olive Trees

The Galilean olive trees has surpassed it's definition as a sacred fruitful tree, to become a symbol of endurance throughout the political events that shoot the region in the mid-twentieth century. The collection contains other paintings that portray the olive groves (the Galilean olive Grove1) belonging to displaced Palestinians, but tare currently at the disposal of the custodian of the absentee property. These olive groves witness the past history and suffering, and are waiting for their owners who are dreaming of the return. Therefore the artist had deliberately refrained from drawing people or any life features to emphasize the tragedy. There is another painting representing the olive harvest (The Olive Harvest 1) that has become family ritual embodying the struggle for existence and clinging to the lands of the the fathers and the grandfathers. This is clearly reflected in the painting depicting the artist and his family at the olive harvest.