The Syrian expatriate sculptor Muhammad Rustom has carved in the rock his passion to his beloved country through his artistic works , which embodied his innate talent and reflected the deep-rooted civilization of his homeland.
The sculptor residing between Lebanon and Guinea mixed in his artworks abstraction and carving , using the style of urban art with absolute precision and a unique way .
At the beginning of the war on Syria , Rustom carved the Syrian and Lebanese pound of rock stone and placed it in one of the squares of the Lebanese city of Tire. The sculpture , which took 6 months, is 3 meters and 85 cm long , two meters and 80 cm high and weighing up to 12 tons.
The sculptor Rustam made it clear to SANA that the work of sculpture which represents the old Syrian pound on one side and the Lebanese pound on the other side, is “an indication of the two countries’ deep historical relationship and their economic and social rapprochement” .
He stressed that the war on Syria, especially in the economic field , will not undermine Syria’s sanctity, its civilization and its history, affirming the Syrians will face the war by thought, science and art.
Concerning his talent , Rustam highlighted that he seeks to develop it because he considers it the best way to translate his feelings and thoughts.
Rustem is embarking on a challenging journey with the harshness of rocks, where he is distinguished by his ability to implement urban sculptural designs and seeks to enter the “Guinness” encyclopedia through works that strive to be the largest and the best.
The most remarkable sculpture work by Rustom is the giant rosary that embodies the idea of brotherhood and coexistence between religions , in addition to other sculpture and architectural engineering works in Lebanon that show the imprint of the Syrian artist.
The rosary, which is currently located on the southern corniche of Tire, is 12 meters long and decorated with the symbol of the cross The crescent moon and each stone pill from 30 to 45 cm.
Rustam aspires to implement a sculpture that represents “Arc de Triomphe”, to be a landmark for which Syria is famous and symbolizes its steadfastness and the heroism of its children in the face of the wars that their country was subjected to.
Through his long experience , Rustem transformed void into a block full of details and artistic engravings, and considered in his sculpture works the homeland and man as an artistic message on which he builds his inspiration and creativity with something from the present and the past..
The sculptor believes that every expatriate carries his identity and represents his country’s civilization and culture, noting that he will be in Syria soon to carry out the largest chess board in the world, calling on all the Syrians expatriates to return to their motherland and contribute to its reconstruction.
Rawaa Ghanam