Tagging the Wall

Bansky on the Wall near the Aida Refugee Camp in Bethlehem

When I was here on sabbatical at the end of 2012, I briefly talked to a young Palestinian man who runs the Bansky shop here in Bethlehem. I had seen and admired Bansky’s graffiti on the wall but really didn't know who he was. When my daughters visited at Christmas time, they explained his form of political protest to me. Creative, whimsical, and poignant, Banksy “tags” places all over the world, leaving an indelible mark on the landscape. His identity is unknown but his art is one of the most recognized forms of artistic protest in the world.

Graffiti has always been a prevalent art form in Palestine. You often see all kinds of buildings tagged with political slogans. But the separation wall boasts a style and flare all its own. The work is often on a grand scale and predominantly pictorial rather than word based. Found only on the Palestinian side of the wall, the graffiti provides a political outlet for rage, a platform for memorializing heroes, and broadcasting calls for justice.  

Can you find the artist, Moodie, in this picture?

So it was with some confusion that I spied a rather whimsical piece of art on the wall a block away from my hotel. It carried no apparent political meaning at all, at least none that I could decipher. I put it out of my mind until, by chance, I ran into the artist. It was none other than the young Palestinian man, Moodie, who runs the Banksy shop.

When you meet Moodie, you can't but be inspired by his intense, infectious enthusiasm. His laugh emanates somewhere deep in his being and can easily dominate the room. He loves Palestine and, in just a few minutes, he will give you a myriad of reasons to fall in love with it too. I was amazed by his youthful optimism, rare in this place where so many men his age are without meaningful work. But Moodie is all about inspiration. In his speech, in his art, in his countenance, in his workout routine, he wants you to know that life is worth living to the fullest. So when I asked him about his artwork, it was no surprise that he told me he only likes to paint happy images on the wall.

Men like Moodie give me hope for this country. He is unwilling to surrender his soul to the occupation. He is not unrealistic about the challenges that he and his country are facing but he will not let anything defeat him. Perhaps his colorful and happy pieces are a form of political protest after all. When the heart is filled with joy, no one can be imprisoned. 

Moodie at work