A Community Art Show in Support of Palestinian Resistance to Authoritarianism
Hind’s House: A Powerful Tribute to Pro-Palestinian Protest and Art
Nearly a year after its debut near Columbia University’s campus, the art exhibition and community education event “Hind’s House” made a return to Washington Heights. Hosted over a three-day span beginning Saturday, October 11, this year’s event stood out for its meaningful tribute to Palestinian voices and their allies.
Initially organized by the anonymous Hind’s House Collective (HHC), the exhibition’s inaugural showcase took place within a literary fraternity building close to Columbia’s grounds. At its core, the exhibition paid homage to Hind Rajab, the five-year-old Palestinian child tragically killed by the Israeli military in 2024. The incident remains heart-wrenching, especially so when Hind cried out for help just days before her death.
The exhibition expertly merged art with activism, showcasing materials from the impactful Gaza Solidarity Encampments. Notably, these encampments faced violent dismantling by the New York Police Department, becoming an emblematic moment for pro-Palestinian activism at Columbia University. In solidarity, Columbia’s student protestors boldly renamed Hamilton Hall after Rajaab in April 2024.
This year’s edition of Hind’s House, held at Recirculation—a subsidiary of the local bookstore Word Up on 160th Street and Riverside Drive—embraced over a dozen artworks. The walls were adorned with diverse pieces, including a touching portrait of Hind Rajab, her smile framed by a flower crown and the iconic keffiyeh.
Both former Columbia students and local artists contributed to the exhibition. Ayanna Legros, an artist with roots close to the Columbia campus, shared poignant work that intersects with issues of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and authoritarian trends in the United States. These themes are particularly relevant given the Trump administration’s stance against international students engaging in pro-Palestine activities.
Legros’s contribution is a tribute to the courage of Noor Abdalla, wife of Mahmoud Khalil. His arrest under the Trump administration sparked widespread protests. Legros drew inspiration from Haitian artistic groups, crafting a “Mother of the Protest Movement” sculpture. Adorned with Abdalla’s likeness and the Syrian flag, it stands as a symbol of resistance and hope.
Meryl Ranzer revisited Hind’s House, contributing a series of interpretive self-portraits. These pieces are visual proclamations advocating for the abolition of ICE and the liberation of Palestine. Each portrait, created daily since October 2023, acts as a reminder of the interconnected struggles faced by many today.
The event hosted vendors offering unique prints and reproductions from Gaza-based artists. Among these creatives are sisters Rahaf and Anfal, notable for their commissioned cat portraits, created amid the challenging realities in the Al-Nuseirat camp in Gaza.
The backdrop of a recent ceasefire between Israel and Hamas lent the event an especially poignant tone. Ranzer articulated the importance of preventing historical whitewashing, emphasizing the necessity of accountability and remembrance. Hind’s House succeeds in its mission to keep the memories alive, ensuring the voices of Palestine remain at the forefront of global consciousness.