It was only a few weeks ago that Palestinian-born painter Hanny Al Khoury dove headfirst into the world of NFTs, to instantaneous success. His first digital art release on leading platform OpenSea found collectors in fewer than two hours. His second, a collection called ‘La La Land’ which he ‘dropped’ earlier this month, is already sold out, with each piece gone for 1 ETH (around 4,000 US dollars) – a testament to Al Khoury’s international critical recognition, collectors’ appreciation, and, to him, a powerful opportunity to raise awareness about current issues plaguing his homeland.
On October 27th, Al Khoury will inaugurate the OpenSea auction of a standalone piece called Window to Palestine, Wopa Land #10, aiming not only to set new milestones within the NFT art world, but also to draw attention to concerns close to his heart. Window to Palestine sees Al Khoury eschewing figuration, and covering the canvas with supple shapes with a certain musicality. Ostensibly, their colors and movement are carefully integrated with one another, giving an impression of happiness. Yet, Al Khoury explains, the artwork “talks about how the Palestinian people are living in a sort of crowded cube, or prison, with very strict rules. It evokes their struggle, the pain, and their misery.” It is not quite common to encounter vocally engaged artists on the booming NFT scene: in this sense, Al Khoury is a pioneer in leveraging crypto-art for a cause. In fact, he candidly admits he hopes this upcoming auction will not only “help his oeuvre get more exposure in the mainstream media and the global art world, but also help raise awareness of the current state of affairs in Palestine.”
Window to Palestine will be up for auction for one month, with an ambitious initial bid of 2 ETH (around 8-9,000 US dollars). No stranger to setting records – he is the Guinness World Record holder for the largest mosaic made of toast, which he realized in Nazareth, occupied Palestine– Al Khoury now seeks to break new ground in the world of NFTs. While digital artworks like Beeple’s 69-million-dollar The First 5000 Days dominate the news, such instances of auction results are quite rare: in the current NFT climate, reaching five figures is in fact in itself feat. Al Khoury aspires for Window to Palestine to surpass the hundred-thousand-dollar benchmark. “I believe setting a new record in the art industry means that the world understands my goals, appreciates and understands the development of my vision,” he says. “At the same time, now is a critical time to raise awareness of the circumstances in Palestine. Things are very tense there, yet few people are talking about. It is crucial now that all activists, artists, anyone who fights for human rights more generally, anyone who believes in dignity and justice, support Palestine.”
Al Khoury’s choice to go digital is no coincidence, as he is acutely aware of the power of social media and online buzz to multiply the exposure of artists. But the international NFT industry is also a great equalizer. There, Al Khoury says, “one’s nationality doesn’t matter; it’s who you are as an artist that counts. NFTs are a powerful way to show art today. If you’re good, you’re gonna make it.” And, in the process, one might open the eyes of a global to the urgency of fighting for human rights, in Palestine and beyond.
