This mural, which appears on the Peace Wall in Palestine, relies heavily on Jesus imagery. The dying man represents all men being killed in the conflict, and is personalized by the text: “Stop killing my sons, brothers, husbands, fathers.” The dying man becomes a stand-in for every personal loss. The image of the man lying across the woman’s lap is reminiscent of traditional images of Jesus dying in Mary’s arms. The man, who represents all the lives of men that have been lost, is depicted as a martyr. The image, while including Jesus imagery, is de-romanticized by the blood pouring out of the man’s mouth. Like in “Bloody Sunday,” the red of the blood is the only color used. The Palestinian Jesus is not dying an idyllic death, but a violent and gruesome one.
Political Murals of Bogside and Palestine