Mansour captures Palestine’s resilience, heritage, and identity through his widely acclaimed paintings.
Mansour is especially renowned for using natural materials like mud and straw, which ground his work in the very earth Palestinians hold sacred. / Photo: @suleimanmanso13 on X.
Sliman Mansour, one of Palestine’s most celebrated contemporary artists, was recently honoured with the prestigious International Culture and Art Award at the 11th Necip Fazil Awards in Istanbul, recognising decades of work highlighting Palestinian identity, culture, and resistance through art.
The accolade, presented by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, recognised his contributions to global art and culture and his role in bringing Palestinian art to international prominence.
In his acceptance speech, Mansour expressed his gratitude, calling the award a “great honour” and an important step toward global recognition of Palestinian art.
Born in 1947 in Birzeit, a small town near Ramallah, Mansour grew up amid the turbulence of occupation.
Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestinian territories deeply shaped his artistic journey, inspiring him to create works that tell the Palestinian story with resilience, heritage, and a strong connection to the land.
He is especially renowned for using natural materials like mud and straw, which ground his work in the very earth Palestinians hold sacred.
His dynamic painting portrays a procession of Palestinians, capturing their enduring spirit and cultural perseverance. The movement and determination of the figures reflect Mansour’s focus on the collective resilience of his people.