The Tamesis
YouTube star Rachel Accurso announced last week that she will surviving colorsan exhibition and fundraiser featuring art created by children in Gaza.
The works will be on display at Caelum Gallery in Chelsea, New York, on Tuesday. They are also being reproduced as 20 limited-edition prints, priced at $200 each, and will be available for purchase through January 30 through Artists Support, a non-profit organization that works with artists to raise funds for a variety of causes. According to a press release, 100% of the proceeds will be donated to young Palestinian artists.
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Akuso is often compared to a modern-day Mr. Rogers and has more than 18 million subscribers on YouTube. After attending a Save the Children fundraiser for children in conflict zones in May 2024, Akusso became outspoken about the plight of Gaza’s children. As part of this effort, she provides personalized guest appearances in videos, with proceeds benefiting children in Gaza, Sudan, Ukraine, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. She has since faced strong opposition from Zionist groups. StopAntimitism, an American Zionist watchdog nonprofit, has been criticized for doxxing pro-Palestinian activists. In May last year, the group claimed Accurso had received funds from Palestinian militant group Hamas, an allegation she called “patently false” and “ridiculous.”
The backlash hasn’t slowed Accurso’s advocacy. She continues to speak out about the conditions faced by children in Gaza, and in November wore a custom-made gown embroidered with Gazan children’s artwork charm Woman of the Year Award. Accurso, one of the night’s honorees, also brought photos of the children who created each piece of art while walking the red carpet.
They are my family, By Maha, a Gaza child participating in a fundraiser to support artists.
“Connecting with these incredible children from Gaza has changed me forever,” Akusso said in a statement announcing this month’s fundraiser. “In the face of unimaginable odds, they shared their powerful art, stories and hope for the future with such courage.”
Exhibitions and fundraisers are organized with Voice of India RajabThis Golden Globe-nominated documentary follows the aftermath of the January 2024 killing of five-year-old Palestinian girl Hind Rajab by the Israel Defense Forces.
The press release also includes a series of quotes from the child artists participating in the event. Ahmed, a 12-year-old boy, wrote in a representative statement: “It feels like my paintings go to places I can’t go. New York is a far away city, but when my paintings arrive there, I feel like my voice reaches the whole world. It makes me feel seen and heard. My voice matters, which makes me happy and proud, even if it is small. Because every painting I paint carries a true story from my life and the lives of other children in Gaza, and every story deserves to be heard.”
