Pyramids of Survival
1984 - Present
Description
This work depicts the starvation of Gaza in 2025. It shows a densely packed crowd climbing over a truck of aid with faceless, monochrome figures. It illustrates the chaos of aid, the controlled starvation, and the fight for survival. The form shows desperate people trying to reach something, while the pyramid shows desperation. The red strokes depict violence, symbolising the Israeli weaponisation of food and water, but also implying resistance and sacrifice. The choice of only three colours highlights contradictions. It shifts the scene from individualism to anonymity as a survival mechanism, while the red that runs through the figures depicts resistance and sacrifice.
Artist Notes
This work portrays Israel's man-made famine and the weaponisation of food and water. It depicts a scene of desperation, collective struggle, violence, and sacrifice. The faceless figures are meant to show that anyone could be in this position, or that it will happen elsewhere after Gaza. The monochromic figures represent the individuality within the masses, with everyone trying to climb over the crowds to survive. The act is meant to be chaotic, highlighting the necessity of struggle. Those at the bottom, unable to reach, bear the weight of starvation. This expresses the paradox of humanity and the suffering of the Gazans, attempting to show that survival comes at a cost.
