An exhibition of modern Syrian artists at the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum 23 June - 2 September 2001
Syria, Culture, 6/25/2001

Syria, until 1999, has locally, largely been known for itÕs more ancient cultural artifacts than modern accomplishments for more than 40 years. Middle Eastern politics has, until recently, made this area a land of mystery within the area of Arts and Culture.

In November of 1999, a Syrian Professor of printmaking - Prof. Abdul Karim Faraj Ð with the aid of the British Council, selected Coventry University School of Art and Design as a center for a period of post-doctorial research. He was the first such academic from the University of Damascus to come to the UK to establish cultural links.

His stay at Coventry ended with an exhibition of his work at the Lanchester Gallery followed by an exhibition in London.

In November of 2000, Dr FarajÕs visit was reciprocated through an exhibition of the work of six of the Fine Art staff at Coventry University being sent to Damascus. Such was the success of this exhibition in Syria, being the first UK based show of Fine Art for over 40 years, that it was retained and turned into a touring exhibition covering the main cities of North and Western Syria in Aleppo and Lattakia - returning to the UK in April of this year.

The exhibition at the Herbert marks the next phase of links with Syria.

The two artists involved - Fadi Yazeji and Sara Shamma - are both graduates of the University of Damascus now seeking to raise the profile of Syrian Art on an international scene, Sara having now shown in Egypt and Fadi already having shown as far afield as the USA. Both artists are very different in styles but are already well established within Syria. Sara works in a tiny attic studio in Damascus working primarily with oil on canvas and produces relatively large-scale figurative paintings. Invariably self-portraits, her impressive images are a fusion of naturalism and abstract pictorial devices. Geometry plays an important part in the process of developing each image and the more neutral passages provide a foil for the intensity of the figuartive presence. Stylistically, the paintings refer to both depiction and abstraction and the pictorial tension inherent in reconciling these somewhat contradictory approaches, gives the work a strange physiological presence.

Fadi works in a light and airy studio located in the ÒOld CityÓ quarter of Damascus. He is both a ceramicist and a painter and both activities seem to coexist in an almost reciprocal way. The somewhat lyrical approach is very reminiscent of Paul Klee and the sense of the Ôdrawn lineÕ is central to his practice. Fadi uses canvas as a form of wall hanging in addition to the more conventional support of stretched canvas. The use of a repeated motif Ð usually a stylised head or figure implies a sense of narrative even though this is not necessarily intended. Sometimes the format is suggestive of a comic strip and one inevitably makes associations and connections across the surface because of this implied link.

Previous Stories:
  Goethe Institute director: Personal contacts between peoples of different cultural pivotal for inter- cultural bridges   (6/13/2001)
  A leadership workshop for women in social service organizations   (5/18/2001)
  Zahret al-Mada'en Social Center in al-Hajar al-Aswad   (5/17/2001)

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