Native الفلسطينيون Dr. Abdalhadi Alijila demonstrates another stylistic approach in taking a minimal modern abstract exploratory approach in “Echo’s of Deception”. Dr. Alijila ’s use of the black, red and white pigments are deliberate, he is more directorial than editorial in his refrain. These colors signify impact, power, duration, colors that give a voice to the voiceless, nuanced in the old Dadaism renditions of authorship, colors of influence. Newspaper clippings torn from the Swedish headlines, portraying Israel as the defenders of a free, fair and just world, whilst killing innocent children, men and women. The wounds of deception are deep and intergenerational. Dr. Alijila is re-orienting us to examine, the conception of Authorship, truly the most important aspect of being or becoming a person who is self evident. In this composition, we get to experience a lesser examined aspect of Dr. Alijila’s contemplation upon the Palestinian diaspora while dissecting colonial themed analogies. The lesser obvious is always more than what it seems, so much of what we do not see is right in front of our eyes, yet the way propaganda preys upon our collective affluence is shamelessly overt. His stoic temper, unamused yet whimsically maneuvering his statement through contentious brush strokes, diplomatic composure , while how many perish. Is this refinement or is this assimilated mannerisms that are being translated from the unsettled demeanor of his quelled quiet power stirring inside him like a quiet storm. Within the red one can feel the urgency burning like the fire of contempt, for the brazen assault to the sensibilities of truth and the inevitable impact, deceptive propaganda tactics lead to. Dr. Alijila has experienced first hand as lived and survived to tell the stories of his own beloved homeland Gaza, Palestine. It can not be lost to us what it means to be Palestinian in todays modern world riddled with the consummate attempt at the normalization of dehumanization tactics that as often as not begin with the printed media sources, newspapers, and social commercial influencers whom are paid to publish or lend their voice to propagate deceptive talking points. Paid-for narratives twist the truth, manipulating public perception only to foster sympathy for the criminal class of elite perpetrators. These modern day colonizers steeped in violence for generations – a history irrefutably documented – are now deceptively portrayed as blameless helpless victims, whilst their heinous acts conveniently erased from the collective memory. The audacity of this deception is breathtaking; the West's moral compass, seemingly adrift, permits this grotesque inversion of reality. Bound by colossal investments in a monstrously inequitable system, this entity faces a stark choice: redeem its staggering outlay, or conceal its culpability in perpetuating this corrupt structure. Hundreds of billions sunk into a labyrinth of widening disparities have created a crippling inertia, leaving it tethered to the looming catastrophe of its own creation.
This thesis, a controlled abstract/collage, serves as a potent stimulus, urging viewers to delve into the insidious mechanisms and tact/strategies of propaganda. It compels a critical examination of propaganda's pervasive influence, its role in virtually every conflict throughout history—from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to the broader landscape of warfare and manipulation. The work prompts profound reflection on the very nature of deception, echoing Sun Tzu's assertion that "all warfare is based on deception." However, the unsettling truth lies in the destructive potential of this approach when applied beyond the battlefield. In peacetime, its application yields only discord, confusion, and the fracturing of societal harmony among cultures, communities, and even neighbors. The crucial question remains: what malevolent agenda drives those who orchestrate such divisive maneuvers, intentionally sowing seeds of discord within our shared human experience?
-Sky Evans Chief Curator Director PAPA Art Collection
