(MENAFN- The Peninsula)
Fazeena Saleem
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The Peninsula
Doha, Qatar: An evocative artwork 'Echo of Lost Innocence' was unveiled yesterday at Barahat Msheireb in Msheireb Downtown Doha, as part of an initiative to present multiple voices advocating for action against the war in Gaza by featuring works and designs by local artists.
The art installation features more than 15,000 small teddy bear sculptures, each representing a child's life lost during the ongoing conflict in Gaza up to the project's inception.
Each one of these installations will be sold for donation to Gaza through Qatar Charity with 100% of the proceeds being donated to the children of Gaza.
The teddy bears are dressed in black T-shirts emblazoned with the message“I'm not just a number. I'm human. With an identity. With a homeland. I am Palestine. #Free Palestine.”
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The art artwork designed by multidisciplinary artist Bachir Mohammad is being displayed by Msheireb Properties in - cooperation with Qatar Charity and White Event Company.
The installation is open to the public until September 26 from 4pm to 10pm.
The Peninsula spoke to the artist Mohammad, and the Senior Director, Corporate Communication, Msheireb Properties, Dr. Hafiz Ali Abdulla about the initiative.
In December 2023, seeing a child in Gaza who had lost her family and was holding a teddy bear prompted Mohammad to work on the installation.
“Echo of Lost Innocence is a charity art installation consisting of 15,000 sculptures, each representing the voices of the children lost in Gaza since October 7, 2023. When I began this project, the number of lost children was less than 4,000. However, today the figure exceeds 15,000 and continues to rise,” he said.
“This installation serves as a reminder to the international and Arab communities to work more toward achieving a ceasefire in Gaza and restoring hope for the children of Palestine. Each teddy bear in the installation represents a child who has been lost and is encased in a concrete block, symbolizing the destruction caused by Israeli strikes since October 7,” he added.
Some of the teddy bears from the installation will be shifted to Msheireb Museums in Bin Jelmood House to be part of a group exhibition 'For the Children of Gaza.'
“This charity exhibition aims to raise awareness and demonstrate our commitment to global issues, particularly the children who have lost their lives in Gaza. It is deeply saddening to see the numbers: 15,000 art pieces representing the souls lost during the conflict. Unfortunately, this number is likely to continue increasing,” said Dr. Abdulla.
He added,“At Msheireb Properties, we view it as our social responsibility to support and promote projects that encourage public participation in solidarity. We believe that art is a powerful medium for raising awareness about important causes. After September 26, more artists in Qatar will join the effort by expressing their perspectives on the situation in Gaza. All of these artworks will be sold, with the proceeds donated to Gaza.”
The unveiling of the installation was attended by many families and children. Some of them also bought teddy bears from the counter available at the Barahat Msheireb.
“What I took away from the exhibition is more than sadness, it's a sense of responsibility, a call for solidarity, awareness, and most importantly, action. We, as a global community, must come together to ensure no child is ever reduced to just a number again. It's a call to protect their innocence, their rights, their futures, and to bring an end to the war in Palestine,” said Razni Razick a visitor at the event.
Omar Farsi, another visitor said,“Each teddy bear in this installation is a silent witness to a child's life and a reminder of the peace we yearn for. By bringing one home, we honour their memory and commit to a future where every child's life is cherished and protected.”
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