This Assyrian artist is showing solidarity with Palestine at a Chicago art walk

Yasmeen Altaji | July 5, 2024

Along the Chicago shores of Lake Michigan, an Assyrian artist is using their medium to show solidarity with Palestine.

Noon is a Chicago native whose Assyrian family hails from Baghdad, Iraq.

"My thinking is that Assyrians and Palestinians together have faced similar struggles throughout history, so it's crucial to advocate for both communities to bring global attention to their historical and ongoing challenges," they told The Word.

Palestinian solidarity made for a common theme at this year's Artists of the Wall, a year-long art installation sponsored by Chicago's park district. Just days after the festival, several works including Palestinian themes, from solidarity-symbolic watermelons to painted calls for a ceasefire, were defaced. Noon's work was among them.

"Right now, I'm just keeping hope," Noon said. "This solidarity is important to fostering peace and a shared commitment to justice."