ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Mahmoud Darwish Poems Republished Alongside Gaza Solidarity Appeal

publication · 2026-09-29

A recent post features two poems by Mahmoud Darwish alongside a fundraising initiative for Gaza. 'To the Reader' is presented as it was published in The documenta 14 Reader, sourced from Khaled Mattawa's 2014 work, Mahmoud Darwish: The Poet's Art and His Nation. Meanwhile, 'Earth Song' is showcased in Abdullah Al-Udhari's translation from Against Forgetting: Twentieth Century Poetry of Witness, released by W. W. Norton. The title of the post references a dialogue from 'Earth Song': 'Why do you sing?' met with 'Because I sing.' This selection honors Shabha Radio and those who continue to sing amidst Gaza's devastation, including Saja Mater and her family. A link leads to a GoFundMe campaign named 'Help Gaza family travel to safety.' Accompanying the text are a video and two images, one connecting to a different Minus Plato article, 'A Curriculum of Imposters: Here Now, There Then, On On.' The post lacks details regarding exhibition dates, venue, or the commissioning body, and does not provide updates on Shabha Radio, Saja Mater, or the campaign's status.

Key facts

  • Mahmoud Darwish's 'To the Reader' is presented as published in The documenta 14 Reader, reprinted from Khaled Mattawa's 2014 book Mahmoud Darwish: The Poet's Art and His Nation.
  • Mahmoud Darwish's 'Earth Song' appears in a translation by Abdullah Al-Udhari from Against Forgetting: Twentieth Century Poetry of Witness.
  • The post's title quotes the question 'Why do you sing?' and the answer 'Because I sing' from 'Earth Song'.
  • The selection is dedicated to Shabha Radio and to everyone still singing amid the ruins of Gaza, including Saja Mater and her family.
  • A GoFundMe campaign titled 'Help Gaza family travel to safety' is linked for donations.
  • A video and two images accompany the text, one image linking to the Minus Plato piece 'A Curriculum of Imposters: Here Now, There Then, On On'.
  • No exhibition dates, venue, or commissioning institution are given in the post.
  • No additional details about Shabha Radio, Saja Mater, or the fundraising campaign are provided.

Entities

Artists

Institutions

  • documenta 14
  • W. W. Norton
  • Shabha Radio
  • GoFundMe
  • Minus Plato

Locations

  • Gaza
  • Palestine

Sources