STATEMENT

     Olive trees are recognised as a cornerstone of Palestinian culture. They symbolise both resilience and heritage but also are economically vital.

Within this exhibition I’m seeking to highlight the lesser known fact that strawberry fields have long been a vital part of Gaza’s economy and cultural identity. They have earned the nickname “red gold” because of the economic value of the strawberries and the regions fertile soil, particularly in Beit Lahia in northern Gaza.  

Northern Gaza’s rich soil, favourable climate and freshwater – ideal for producing high-quality strawberries – made it a tourist attraction and source of pride. Despite the challenges, strawberry farming provided seasonal employment for hundreds Palestinians.

The annual harvest which started in November was a time of celebration and symbolised resilience against occupation and economic hardship.

Not any more.
Sena Serim states,

“The cultivation starts in November. It’s a time of festivities as farmers and their families come together to go around the fields gathering strawberries.
But this year, nothing was left to harvest as the Israeli military bombed and flattened hundreds of acres of Palestinian farmland.”

The conflict has led to widespread devastation of Gaza’s agricultural land and Strawberry Fields have been particularly hard-hit.

Repeated displacement of Farmers, due to bombardments, have made it impossible to tend to their crops. Over 75% of Gaza’s farmland is now inaccessible with northern Gaza particularly affected.

The destruction of agricultural infrastructure has contributed to a severe food crisis with 96% of Gaza’s population facing food insecurity with nearly 500,000 people at risk of starvation. The inability to grow strawberries and other crops has led to skyrocketing food prices with a bag of flour now costing over $200.

Gaza’s strawberry farmers had adopted innovative techniques like vertical farming to overcome water scarcity and limited land, reducing water and pesticide use by up to 90%.

While bombings, displacement and restricted access to land and resources have led to a collapse of the sector, contributing to a broader humanitarian crisis, farmers remain determined to rebuild. Ongoing conflict and lack of aid continue to hinder recovery efforts despite their resilience and innovation.

 Christine Dawson

2025

INSTALLATION/PHOTOGRAPHS

  The photographs used within this installation are from UNRWA Archives. In response to my request for photographs  Amani Shaltout, Multimedia and Archiving Officer, stated:

“Thank  you for your interest in UNRWA Photo Archive. We do have a few photos from 2009 of the strawberry fields, but tragically, all those fields were destroyed and wiped out in this brutal war on Gaza, and the whole area is marked as dangerous and access is prohibited, making it impossible to take new photos.” 

The single punnet of decayed strawberries within this installation is a testimony to this destruction. On 15th May 2025, (77th anniversary of the NAKBA) I bought around 25-30 punnets of strawberries and allowed them to decay. This single punnet is what remains. The photographs in the film “Strawberry Fields to Killing Fields” portray stages of this decay.

The label incorporates information regarding the genocide, such as the numbers on the bar code (77-109000) which refer to the latest Lancet study which indicates that Gaza deaths are between 77,000 and 109,000.

Gaza Farmers remain resilient though the situation remains dire. The installation seeks to reflect this by surrounding the decayed strawberries with symbols of new life.