Mahmoud Khalil Story

Mahmoud Khalil (27 years old) is a graffiti artist from Jadida-Makr in the Western Galilee

I saw Mahmoud throughout the years, as his murals filled the empty space in the town

I did not know him personally, but his name was repeated among the people. Some said he is an artist, and some of them said he is a saboteur who stains white walls. When I met him, he told me what the mural means and what the message of his art is;
“Graffiti is a street exhibition, a public exhibition for the people. This type of art comes to the people instead of people going to it.

It is a revolutionary, rebellious art that examines the events that we live and accompanies them.”

Mahmoud also explains that the murals are subject to persecution, whether by the Israeli people or the institution that limits free speech and so we find the walls of our city to be our space to freely express.
“As I try to create something that does not conform to the institutions, my paintings are often subjected to sabotage by the Israeli establishment or its representatives.”

My message carries with it, two duties. The first is to challenge and document the reality of the occupation, and the second is to spread awareness and pass the message on to my people as well.