A Detailed Analysis of Laila Shawa's Painting: Face to Face

This report provides an analysis of Laila Shawa's painting 'Face to Face,' focusing on the artist's portrayal of a suicide bomber. The analysis examines the use of color, such as red for danger and green for hope, and the symbolism of the thorny cactus and the image of a woman strangling herself. The report also explores the meaning behind the female figure and the woman's reflection. The analysis identifies the artist's intent in depicting the suicide bomber's actions, the use of an explosive belt, and the black background. The conclusion summarizes the emotional power of the painting. The report references two sources, Selen (2016) and Zaidel (2015), to support the analysis of the painting's themes and artistic techniques.

Introduction
Art is the application of imagination and creativity to create images or a
sculpture that is to be appreciated for the emotional message it sends or its
beauty
Thesis statement:
Face to face by Laila Shawa is a painting that about a Palestinian suicide bomber who
failed in her mission (Selen, 2016). The following points below are a critique of how
best the artist portrayed her message and where she might have made mistakes.
Body# 1
I see color red dominating the painting, I think it means danger or a warning
because the red color has always been associated with blood shade.
I see neon the green color, I think it means hope and nature because the artists see
hope in the girl in the picture and believes they can do better, something she did after
being released from prison.
I see the thorny cactus plant, I think it means the hardship and suffering because the
lady in the picture may have gone through tough situation in Palestine to make them
make the decision of being a suicide bomber.
Body#2
I see a female in the picture, I think it mean the role of women in the society
because women are seen as the pillar of the society and are the most affected during
war.
I see a reflection of an image , I think it means the woman was conscious of her
actions because she did not change her mind even after realizing she is about to die.
I see a woman strangling her own neck, I think it means making a personal sacrifice
because the woman had decided to sacrifice her life for the sake of her belief.
Body#3
I see a lady looking up I think it means they are aware someone may be watching
because the lady was looking for cctv cameras before pressing the trigger.
I see an explosive belt, I think it means death or loss of life because (the girl actually
wanted to sacrifice herself to kill so many people but fortunately the bomb failed.
I see black color in the background, I think it means death because the girl wanted to
end the life of other people.
Conclusion
The artist expressed his creativity and portrayed the situation around the suicide
bomber and the various factors associated to it (Zaidel, 2015). The colors used and
images have the emotional power to describe the situation.

Reference
Selen, E. (2016). Occupied 11 experiences. Conflict Transformation and the
Palestinians: The Dynamics of Peace and Justice Under Occupation, 194.
Zaidel, D. W. (2015). Neuropsychology of art: Neurological, cognitive, and
evolutionary perspectives. Psychology Press.