Palestinian Artist Writes Verses with Wheat Straws
His workshop, a room in his home, is filled with golden creations that decorate the walls.
Palestine is not only home to the late poet Mahmoud Darwish, who sang about wheat and its ears in his collection of poems. Rather, this land is home to other people who have taken advantage of the blessings of this land and created original works; such as Hossam Adwan, from the Gaza Strip, who has transformed wheat stalks and straw into works of art.
On a small table, Adwan meticulously places wheat stalks inside the letters of a Quranic verse, handwritten on a piece of white cardboard. The piece quickly transforms into a beautiful golden painting.
At first glance, the artwork appears to be made with modern machinery. A closer inspection, however, reveals the artist’s hand skillfully arranging and organizing the wheat stalks in the most beautiful way possible.
Adwan spends long hours moving between his paintings, which are inlaid with wheat straw. Some of these artworks include Quranic verses written in Arabic calligraphy, various scenes from nature, and portraits of famous figures.
A Lifelong Passion
Adwan pays little mind to the fatigue that sets in during these long hours, especially since his love for this art started at a young age. “My experience in designing with straw and wheat stalks started from a young age,” he says. “I produced a few paintings in a limited framework, but now I create anything I like.”
The Palestinian artist believes this type of art is “something new that everyone desires because it highlights creativity and aesthetics.” He notes that it is also “a rare art, and it is difficult to find someone who has mastered it in a correct and flawless way.”
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Adwan emphasizes that designing with wheat straw is not easy. It requires great effort, continuous practice, and years of experience to master.
The Meticulous Process
To understand his method, one can observe his process. Adwan takes a piece of paper and draws whatever is on his mind with a pencil. He then places the stalks and heads of wheat, which have been previously fermented in water, onto the lines drawn on his board.
Using scissors and a sharp blade, he begins making precise cuts. He then spreads glue on the paper and attaches the wheat straw. He can also color it as he wishes.
Art as Expression and Livelihood
Despite his great enthusiasm for creating a platform for every talented individual to pursue their ideas in this field, Adwan complains of significant neglect from official institutions towards all artists. He believes that art represents an important part of expressing the Palestinian cause.
“Every stalk of wheat I pick from the land of Gaza is an embodiment of my cause,” he adds. This is especially poignant as he notes, “I only receive the straw on the day farmers harvest the wheat from the borders of occupied Palestine, which coincides with May 30 each year.”
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Besides pursuing this art as a hobby—a opportunity for entertainment and for releasing his creativity and energy amid the Israeli blockade and devastating war—Adwan also uses it as a source of livelihood for himself and his five-member family in Rafah.
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