Flying Balloons Girl

Flying Balloons Girl, painted on a wall on the West Bank in Israel, is a poignant yet subtle piece. The image hearkens back to one’s childhood idealism, the dreams of a child who wishes he could fly and float away as if lighter than air. The combination of this suggestion becomes all the more salient when the location of the art piece is taken into account. These two facets of the print are inseparable.

The use of a female child ” a representation of innocence and vulnerability” perhaps is significant as well. The plight of the Palestinian appears in the art piece, the desire for freedom, the yearning to be able to float over the West Bank’s walls. Children on both sides of the wall share this dream, Palestinian and Israeli alike.

The artist’s choice of the number of balloons is no accident either. The religious significance of the number 7 cannot be understated when considering the plight of the Palestinians. The number 7 appears prominently in Jewish, Christian and Muslim scriptures, particularly the apocalyptic texts. The ascension of the elect also appears in this art piece subtly.