Syrian artists revive an abandoned landmark in Damascus after the fall of Assad

First major exhibition in the Syrian capital since the regime's ousting is hailed as a rebirth of the creative scene

In the heart of a healing Damascus, creativity has carved out an unlikely refuge. A once-abandoned building – left skeletal and silent – has been reborn as a radiant hub for artistic expression, thanks to a two-week exhibition led by the Madad Art Foundation.

Designed in 2008 to resemble a Damascene rose, the Massar building had stood untouched for years, a monument to halted ambitions. Now, it has been transformed into an immersive showcase of resilience and imagination, featuring the powerful works of 29 rising Syrian artists.

Path is the first major exhibition of its kind since the fall of the Assad regime, offering a platform for art and a sanctuary for long-stifled voices.

We are still here, say Syrian creatives

Residents glimpsed what the country’s artistic landscape has to offer as they walked around the maze of intricate installations and unconventional creations, inside the Massar Rose building for the first time.

A sign by the Madad institute read: “We are here, we are still here, and we are from here. A path of 29 stories, similar to stories of all Syrians.”

Hundreds of visitors passed a mural named Accumulation in the vast space. The mural showcases four abstract paintings with burning candles that symbolise the essence of giving. The pieces, created by Dalaa Jalanbo, reflect the conflict of peace and forgiveness versus the burdens of history.

Jalanbo told The National: “We would often walk past this location and gaze in from the outside, but we could never enter or experience it from the inside. This space is crucial for us now. It should be a place of art.”

The Path exhibition showcases unconventional installation art and paintings by Syria’s emerging artists. Photo: Gheth Tawalbeh

Excited Damascus residents took selfies and photos next to the artworks, which include a display of 300 suspended clay swords by artist Rala Tarabishi.

“I carried my anger and pain for years and used [the swords] as armour to protect myself, or so I thought,” Tarabishi explained. “My journey to reach a clear visual definition of forgiveness led me to realms of anger and hatred towards what hurts. These realms took the shape of several swords embedded in the ground, representing the situations we ultimately ended up forgiving or failing to pardon.”

She added: “When you embed your sword into the earth instead of using it as a weapon, you’re putting an end to the fight.”

Tarabishi is one of a crop of artists taught by Syrian artist Buthayna Ali, founder of the Madad Art Foundation, who died last year.

“Dr Ali is and will always be my main source of inspiration,” she said. “She always made us continue our fight as artists to show the world we’re here and deliver our messages through our work. Path is a gift from us, her 'children', to her for all the guidance and love she gave us.”

'We were not able to express ourselves'

Artist Zeinab Al-Abrar’s mixed media on canvas installation called (To) is another tale of forgiveness, as Syria look towards building a new future.

“This painting embodies the journey of inner peace, as it extends over seven metres of raw canvas, extending from the wall to the floor,” Al-Abrar said. "The random words reflect the emotional chaos and experiences since childhood, while the wrapped lower part symbolises the past.”

Telling this story in a once-uninhabitable location is a testament to the will of the country’s rising generation, she added.

The exhibition venue is an abandoned building designed to resemble a Damascene rose. Photo: Gheth Tawalbeh

“I never imagined we would be able to use this place. This should have happened years ago, but the place was not for us, like lots of things that were not for us. Now is our time to work on the country, on ourselves. We have a big responsibility. After the fall of the [Assad] regime, all the symbolism, life is now coming out, we were not able to express ourselves,” said Al-Abrar.

Fouad Khattar’s Sailing in the Storm installation attracts crowds with its complicated paper sculpture display that features a single boat carrying several smaller boats, surrounded by knives falling on it from all sides.

Attempting to symbolise the feeling of helplessness that a person experiences when they want to help others but cannot, Khattar’s work invites viewers to contemplate this human condition from afar.

The exhibition has been organised by the Madad Art Foundation. Photo: Gheth Tawalbeh

The artist, 23, said: “The boat is similar to us. We are simple people but have a very complicated core. We are used to the idea that we will get somewhere. People see the boat and think about travelling. In this project I wanted to convey the fact that we are powerless to help those people on the boat.”

Two sisters, Razan and Malaz, were standing in front of a work called Hidden Dimension. They speak as one creative mind that they call “Orabi”, using the imagery of trees as a metaphorical exploration of visual evolution and the transformative power of human perception. Orabi says: “Orabi is one mind made by two, Orabi is that mind space. They say creativity is about 'thinking outside the box'. Orabi believes there is no box.”

'Is it worth carrying the burdens of hatred and regret?'

Artist Judi Chakhachirou’s Elapse provokes a deeper question, the artist says. “Ultimately, we must ask ourselves: Is it worth carrying the burdens of hatred and regret?”

Chakhachirou’s installation contemplates loss, regret and forgiveness. The viewer finds themselves within a vibrating circular space, at the centre of which a gravestone hangs from a rope, representing the connection between the present and the past. Chakhachirou added: “Every day, new stories are written about people who have departed us in various ways.”

The Massar building was off-limits to the public before the exhibition revitalised the structure. Photo: Gheth Tawalbeh

Artist Hala Nahar reflects shared experiences and hopes for a better life in Syria in a video installation called Rebirth.

She told The National that feelings of hope were renewed or born after several events, including the fall of the Assad government. “Before the fall of the regime, my dream was to be able to express through art what we feel and our suffering in this country, without fearing for ourselves and our families.”

Kareem Al-Khateeb’s Us/As a Divided Camel is a surreal take, using four paintings representing the body parts of a camel, on the struggle of the human spirit. This artwork highlights resilience and adaptability in the face of challenges.

Syrian Artist Dalaa Jalanbo stands in front of her mural, titled Accumulation. Photo: Gheth Tawalbeh

Al-Khateeb said: “My work embodies the suffering a person faces on their path to tolerance with their surroundings, such as society, country, friends and loved ones.

“They will undoubtedly be faced with two choices. The first is to not compromise and sacrifice, thus remaining a prisoner of themselves. The second, which also entails suffering, is a long series of sacrifices of ideas, convictions and other things to identify with their surroundings.”

As Syria emerges from more than 50 years of oppression, it is at a crossroads of tradition and transformation. Art serves as a means of healing and a reflection of its troubled history while offering a glimmer of hope for a brighter future.

Using the remains of a landmark from the Assad era as an open-air art gallery is an inspiring start towards reviving Syria’s cultural landscape.

The Path exhibition runs until April 18