Ahmad’s choice of canvas is full of meaning. In Arabic, the word for cactus — saber — is the same as the word for patience. For Palestinians, the plant has always been a symbol of patience, particularly so in the wake of what they call the Nakba, or “catastrophe” in 1948.
Very carefully, he starts to clean the cactus spines with a wet cloth, and then sets off on his artistic journey.
“Painting under the sun for a long time isn’t easy,” the 21-year old tells me.