Street Art Forum in Damascus

The Street Art Forum has neared its end after it turned a small street in al-Sha’lan neighborhood in Damascus into a point of attraction for many people who enjoy artistic environments and the vivacity of youth.

The week-long forum, which was held by Mustafa Ali Gallery in cooperation with Damascus governorate, presented different types of fine arts, including painting, sculpture and graffiti works, in addition to playing music, singing, acting, dancing and storytelling.

The artistic forum has created a state of interaction between young artists of different specializations and people in the street.

In a statement to SANA, International Sculpture Mustafa Ali said that the Street Art Forum experience has greatly succeeded at the local and external levels through direct interaction with people or through social media, which has conveyed this beautiful atmosphere and bright image of our country to the world, stressing that this experience has surprised and won the admiration of all.”

 Ali made it clear that “the Street Art project continues with its activities in a bid to transform this small place into a street for true art by holding various artistic activities at different times of the year,” indicating that Damascus Governorate has provided all support to make this forum a success.

 On her part,  Afnan Mahfoud, who sculpted an expressionist artistic work depicting a female body with metal wires, said that the forum formed an opportunity for her to return to sculpture after a period of hiatus. She noted the state of interaction among the participating artists who exchanged experiences and the interaction between the artists and the people, especially school children who have been visiting the forum and participating in painting. 

Nour Malouhi, a third year student at the Fine Arts Faculty, talked enthusiastically about her participation, stressing that it is a positive experience. She said that she drew the goddess Venus in an expressionist way according to her vision, focusing on the female body to convey the message she wanted. 

Some other artists affirmed that this forum has provided the artists with a different space away from the traditional workplaces, like the studio or the atelier. It has also provided an opportunity for visitors to get acquainted with the steps of making and completing artistic work.

Hamda Mustafa