1. Fathi Ghaben was a Palestinian self-taught artist and educator, whose paintings depicted Palestinian culture, resistance, and right of return.
17 Facts About Fathi Ghaben
1. 2.
Fathi Ghaben was born in Hiribya village in the Gaza Strip in 1947, Ghaben and his family experienced displacement many times due to Israeli occupation.
3.
Fathi Ghaben enrolled at Al-Azhar University in the 1960s but was unable to complete it because of financial issues.
4.
Fathi Ghaben married her at the age of 19 and soon was the father of 8.
5.
Fathi Ghaben was arrested and detained for 45 days in 1975.
6.
Tessa Solomon wrote ib ARTnews magazine that Fathi Ghaben was considered "one of Palestine's most prominent painters".
7.
Fathi Ghaben's work became known in the 1970s and 80s, and he worked in a highly colorful "exuberant" style.
8.
Fathi Ghaben painted his nephew Suhain, who was killed by Israeli soldiers during a demonstration in April 1982.
9.
Fathi Ghaben was first arrested in 1970 for "planting a bomb" during a demonstration in Gaza.
10.
Fathi Ghaben's work was included in exhibitions in Palestine and abroad, including Arab and Western countries.
11.
Fathi Ghaben was the recipient of several orders and medals, including the Medal of Sword of Canaan, which he received from Yaser Arafat.
12.
Fathi Ghaben was one of the founders of the Association of Fine Artists and Artists in Gaza.
13.
Fathi Ghaben represented Palestine at the Arab Plastic Artists, which is based in Cairo.
14.
Fathi Ghaben was the founder of Fathi Ghaben Center of Arts, which helped discover promising young artists in Gaza.
15.
Fathi Ghaben died in Gaza on 25 February 2024, at the age of 77 during the ongoing Gaza war.
16.
Fathi Ghaben suffered from serious lung problems, and the unavailability to oxygen and medicine in Gaza prevented him from receiving appropriate health care treatment for his conditions.
17.
Fathi Ghaben was not permitted to leave the besieged enclave to seek necessary medical care; his requests to depart the war-torn area for medical treatment were not responded to by Israeli authorities.