Different Class's goal is to provide young artists with the space to freely express themselves. Our commitment lies in amplifying their voices and what they stand for. Despite our will to remove ourselves from the equation when it comes to our artists’ voices, we cannot accept neutrality or take distance from the question of systematic colonial oppression. As a cultural platform, we remind our audience – whether you are an artist, a creative, or just a spectator – of the power that words hold.
We asked several creatives to share their thoughts on art, resistance and freedom. Illustrator, Sirien Salameh, painter, Ismail Mattar, artist, Firas El Hallak, musician Shadi Zaqtan, poet and co-founder of Palettes of Palestine, Hala El Mohor, photographer, Abdulazez Dukhan and art collective Tashattot - each shared their unique forms of expression regarding Palestinian freedom.
For you, what does it mean to be free?
True freedom lies in expressing your individuality, not conforming to the desires of the masses. It isn't about being neutral due to fear of public opinion or losing financial support. Freedom thrives in the authenticity of embracing who you are and what you stand for.
In what concrete ways can the art and cultural sector effectively help with the current situation?
Through three approaches: Firmly taking a genuine, non-neutral stance; engaging in boycotts and actively giving the platform to those capable of educating.
As artists living in Europe, Do you think your audience and environment understand your practice, and deal with it the way you intended?
It’s undeniable that cultural differences may affect how people perceive our works. However, by delving beyond western practices, art history and museums, it becomes clearer to our audience to grasp the intentions and techniques behind our artistic creations.
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And does the meaning of your work changes according to where it is being consumed?
Being free means not altering the meaning of our works based on where they're consumed.
An artwork, poem, music, or photo you want us to look at/learn more about today?
Noor Hindi — Fuck Your Lecture on Craft, My People Are Dying
<br>Colonizers write about flowers.
I tell you about children throwing rocks at Israeli tanks
seconds before becoming daisies.
I want to be like those poets who care about the moon.
Palestinians don’t see the moon from jail cells and prisons.
It’s so beautiful, the moon.
They’re so beautiful, the flowers.
I pick flowers for my dead father when I’m sad.
He watches Al Jazeera all day.
I wish Jessica would stop texting me Happy Ramadan.
I know I’m American because when I walk into a room something dies.
Metaphors about death are for poets who think ghosts care about sound.
When I die, I promise to haunt you forever.
One day, I’ll write about the flowers like we own them.</br>
<div class="editorial-banner"> <div class=“editorial-credits”> @tashattot.collective <br/> Donate now to Medical Aid Palestine or to the Palestine children's relief fund to address urgent humanitarian needs in Palestine. Or learn more at Decolonize Palestine. </div></div>
Different Class works with the interest of their community at heart.
Our work’s purpose is to foster a solid network for independent artists, those who love them, and those who want to support them. Become a member to contribute to the local Belgian art scene.
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