As an increasing number of artists globally voice support for Gaza, some are becoming creative in their ways to raise funds for people on the ground.
The latest is Adeline de Monseignat, a Dutch-Monegasque artist who lives between Mexico City and London, who created a limited-edition series of 25 bronze sculptures inspired by the watermelon seed. These went on sale for £2,000 ($2,700) each and sold out within two days. All proceeds will go to Heal Palestine, a US-registered non-profit that provides medical care and rehabilitation to children who have severe injuries, as well as emotional support for those who have suffered loss.
The watermelon has become a symbol of solidarity in Palestine as its colours – green, red, white and black – match the Palestinian flag. “For me, the seed represents resilience, rootedness and the capacity to endure even in the harshest conditions,” de Monseignat tells The National. “Transforming this symbol into bronze was my way of creating a lasting testament to endurance, and turning a small, humble object into something that can carry weight, presence and solidarity.”
The series is called Rooted. Each piece is crafted in black-patinated bronze, measuring 15cm x 10cm x 2cm, and is signed, dated and numbered by the artist. It comes in a linen box, also designed by de Monseignat, and includes a certificate of authenticity.
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All proceeds will go directly to Heal Palestine to cover one month of living expenses, education, mental health care and other essential resources for an injured child and their family while they undergo free treatment in the US or partner country.
“As a mother, I can’t imagine the pain of seeing children suffer such devastating injuries, displacement and loss,” said the artist. “My practice has always circled around themes of fertility, transformation and cycles of life so, to me, standing with children whose futures are being brutally disrupted is a natural extension of what I already explore in my work. Silence was not an option.”
The artist was spurred into action when Artists Support – a charitable organisation that collaborates with artists to raise awareness – contacted her to work on a project and select a charity of her choice. “I knew exactly where I wanted my energy to be concentrated on,” she says. While Artists Support is usually funded by a 10 per cent operational fee paid by the buyer, this fee was waived for Rooted.
“Collectors, friends and strangers alike have reached out not only to acquire the work, but also to share how strongly they connect to its symbolism. There’s a sense that this project has touched people beyond the art world, resonating as a gesture of empathy and peaceful protest. And on a personal level, it is prompting me to think of further new ways to help.”
While de Monseignat’s primary aim is to accrue donations, she’s also hoping to keep the conversation around Palestine alive, “to remind people that art can hold space for grief, resilience, and hope, even in the darkest times”.
“I believe artists can act as vessels. We absorb the world around us and we translate it into forms that carry emotion, meaning and sometimes action. While every artist has their own way of engaging with social issues, I feel a responsibility to use my platform and my work to speak when words fail me. Sculpture allows me to create something tangible, a symbol of protest that also contributes materially to change.”
Broadly speaking, her practice draws on cycles of transformation in nature and life, using materials such as stone, bronze, textile and glass. “I’m particularly interested in how materials themselves can become protagonists, holding both symbolic weight and emotional resonance,” she says.
Next, de Monseignat has a solo exhibition called Playscape at Bo Lee and Workman in the UK, running from September 20 to December 15, an immersive installation inspired by the ways in which toddlers explore the world through play.
Artists should not underestimate the effect they can have on social issues in general, says de Monseignat. “Art may not stop bombs, but it can create ripples of awareness, empathy and action. If you have a voice, a platform or a craft, use it. Gestures add up and, together, they can form a chorus strong enough to carry hope forward and make a difference, however small it might be.”
