I am happy to announce an exciting opportunity for you to own a unique and meaningful piece of art while making a difference.
About the Print:
- Title: The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
- Artist: AFK
- Size: 50x50cm
- Series: Maximum 100 – the number of pre-orders will dictate the size of the series (maximum 100) 10% of the series will be with hand coloured flowers
- Technique: Silk screen print, based on the original artwork
- Release Date: ASAP
Background:
Since the first Aesthetic Prosthetic auction in 2014 (organized by Morten Heszlein), I have donated art to fundraising efforts for the Artificial Limb and Polio Center (ALPC) in Gaza. In 2019, I was introduced to Shadi Alzaqzouq, a Palestinian street artist and active contributor to Aesthetic Prosthetic who is currently living in France. In 2023, our joint efforts succeeded in reuniting Shadi with his mother in Paris, and in 2024, an art auction was organized to finance a hip operation for Shadi’s niece in Gaza.
Since then, I have maintained regular contact with Shadi’s brother in Gaza, Abdul, and gained personal insight into his life and challenges. The family consists of Abdul- (a family man and nurse anaesthetist), Nagham- (a primary school teacher), and their 4 daughters- (Zina, Joud, Rawaa and Masa) Abdul worked at Al-Shifa Hospital before it was destroyed in 2024. In addition to his skills as a healthcare worker, Abdul is a talented writer who uses his words to express the depth of his experiences, both privately and on social media. He speaks of the heart-wrenching lies he tells his daughters to give them comfort, and the daily dangers he faces when trying to procure food for his family. Abdul’s unyielding hope and resilience are truly inspiring and worthy of emulation for us all.
Why Pre-Order?
As with for everyone in Gaza, the situation for this family is dire. The family’s home was recently destroyed and they are currently being herded, along with thousands of others, towards concentration camps in the south of Gaza. Your pre-order will give the family immediate hope and strength to prepare for their escape from this situation.
The proceeds from this print (minus production materials and postage costs), will be donated to the family’s GoFundMe campaign where they can access it via mobile phone, and pay for the extortionate price for passage into Egypt as soon as the Rafah border opens. There is the persistent risk of this border remaining closed, but we want to be prepared and it is a risk we are all willing to take.
About the print:
Inspiration for the motive comes from a scene in the film “The boy in the striped pyjamas” (2008), which tells the fictional story of a young German boy’s encounter with a young Jewish inmate at the Auschwitz concentration camp. My version, naïve and hopeful, is an updated twist on their encounter.
Production:
Bergen Trykkeriet is contributing to this project by cutting production costs to a bare minimum. The print will be hand pulled by myself with the help of assistants and we aim to start the process next week. Ten of the prints will have a small hand-finish (hand coloured flowers). Luck will be the decider of who receives one of these.
Your print will be sent to you as soon as they are numbered and signed. The artwork will be posted in a tube and it is recommended that you flatten your print within 2 weeks.
Thanks!
By pre-ordering this print, you are making a significant contribution to potentially life-changing efforts. Additionally, you will add a meaningful piece of art to your collection.J
