Boards of Resilience – The Caffiend Skateboard Deck Art Show

On May 24, I was proud to be part of The Caffiend Skateboard Deck Art Show alongside an incredible lineup of artists who all took to skateboard decks as their canvas.

For this group exhibition, I created two works as part of a series titled Boards of Resilience. In this series, I explore the enduring spirit and complex narratives of the Palestinian struggle through portraiture. Each board serves as a platform to honour individual stories of strength, resistance, and hope.

The first piece features Bisan Owda, set against a background of watermelons. The colours echo the Palestinian flag and act as a nod to the fruit’s long-standing role as a symbol of protest and identity, especially during times when displaying the flag was banned. The watermelon has become a quiet but powerful icon of resilience.

The second piece portrays Plestia Alaqad, surrounded by olive branches. The olive tree has always symbolised peace and the deep connection Palestinians have to their land. Known for surviving and thriving under harsh conditions, it represents continuity, cultural roots, and hope in the face of adversity.

Using skateboards as a medium allowed me to highlight the contrast between the everyday and the extraordinary. It felt powerful to take something associated with play and freedom and use it to tell stories of resistance and fight for survival. In this context, the skateboard showcases the obseritity of the luxury of this object in comparison to what the Palestinian people are experiencing.

100% of the proceeds from the sale of my works will be donated to @para.foundation, an organisation supporting Palestinian migrants and refugees to live safe, fulfilling lives in Australia. It felt important to ensure that this work didn’t just raise awareness but could also directly support meaningful action.

Thank you to @romanpace and the team at @caffiend_cairns for creating such a strong platform for artists to show up, speak out, and connect through their work. And thank you to everyone who came along on the night, supported the show, and stood in solidarity.

All eyes on Gaza.

– Nicolette Worth