Spread across a large-scale horizontal canvas, One Drop of My Blood, 2014, depicts tiny crimson droplets artfully scattered in an equally dispersed repetitive arrangement. In a re-visitation of his earlier body of work, the series One Centimeter of My Sand, One Grain of My Soil, One Centimeter of My Blood, One Drop of My Tears, 1999, Bashir Makhoul revisits the same theme in 2014. Comprising of vibrant paintings, the series portrays enlarged images derived from previous installations, evoking a palpable nostalgia. The Palestinian Museum commented on Makhoul’s artistic style in earlier works, stating:

“The formal repetition of the pattern implies an infinity that contradicts the singularity of the object and the question of ownership implied by the title. The centimeter of blood, the drop of water, the grain of soil could be of anyone and any place. However, the paradox of ownership highlights the anomalies of national identities, in which blood and land are recurring powerful symbols that tie us to homelands, nations, and our landscapes.”

Contemplating the vast scale of this painting and reflecting on the title, One Drop of My Blood, evokes an uncanny sense of dimension. The droplets resemble pupils, gazing at the viewer from within a surreal space, each reflecting a distinct light source. A colloquial Arabic proverb asserts that “Blood doesn’t turn into water”, echoing the idea that Palestinian blood is a DNA stamp originating from this land.

Signed and dated "2014" in English on reverse