Sabr ( صبر ) Cactus Plate (Qalonia)

This Sabr صبر cactus plate was press-molded from an actual sabr cactus collected by my mother from the demolished Palestinian village of Qalonia, on the outskirts of Jerusalem. A two-piece plaster mold was made directly from the cactus, allowing its distinctive form to be reproduced in clay. Each plate is pressed into the mold, with the rim shaped by hand.

The sabr cactus has become one of the most recognisable symbols of Palestine. For generations, Palestinians planted cactus hedges around homes, villages and fields to mark boundaries and protect livestock. After 1948, when hundreds of Palestinian villages were depopulated and destroyed, the cactus hedges remained, often growing over the ruins and marking where homes and communities once stood.

Sabr means patience, perseverance and endurance. Its ability to survive and continue growing in difficult conditions has made it a powerful symbol of Palestinian steadfastness and enduring connection to the land.

Dimensions: 15 × 8 cm