Despite fame, Gazan painter struggles to make living
Renowned Gaza artist Fathi Ghaben has suffered from poverty and feels cheated, but still believes he will be rewarded for his work someday.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Sometimes, artists' vivid brushstrokes belie their struggles. So it is with well-known Palestinian painter Fathi Ghaben.
Al-Monitor recently visited Ghaben’s residence in the al-Nasr neighborhood, where poverty was evident in his house: its asbestos ceiling, the stones of its unpainted walls and broken furniture. Yet, in contrast to other poor houses, it offered an air of abundance through the artistic and financial value of the paintings hanging on the gloomy walls.
