Afaf Kharma … an artistic vision and imagination of a creative artist

Through her long experience in the world of plastic art, the artist Afaf Kharma has managed to achieve a distinctive place in the world of art thanks to her unique style and her proficiency in expressing all the things that attract her in a special way that reflects the imagination of a virtuoso.

Regarding her artistic experience, she said,  “I loved art from an early age.My passion for drawing increased in high school, as my work was admired by parents and the teachers who encouraged me to continue studying art after high school.

After I graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts, I used to work with different techniques and materials using pastel and watercolor. In 2006 I had my own studio in one of the old neighborhoods of Damascus, which was called at that time the “artists neighborhood”, because there were studios for more than twenty artists who had a significant role in the development of the plastic art movement.”

Regarding the topics that her works cover, she said, “My topics are inspired by everyday life. I am interested in neglected and forgotten things in their shape, position, and interrelationship between them. I depict the moment when the light falls on them and identifies with their colors and shades  in my painting within a specific configuration that I may sometimes add to or delete in proportion to the composition and the distribution of color within the painting”.

Kharma went on to say, “I drew women in many cases, some of which are portraits. My works adopt the realism style and they are, perhaps, closer to classicism in terms of composition and dealing with light and shadow, which I did in pastel and acrylic colors.

Concerning her artistic activities, she said that she participates annually in the annual “Fall Exhibition” of Fine Artists in Syria. She has many in-group exhibitions inside Syria and abroad. Her first solo exhibition was in 2020 in Ishtar Gallery in Damascus and the second solo exhibition was in Homs in the Al-Itehad Gallery.

On the importance of the talent and academic study of the artist, she said that art is a talent for the human being , but it must be refined by study and most importantly, to nourish it with artistic culture, get acquainted with the various artistic schools, and learn about the artists’ works, methods and techniques.

On her opinion of criticism, she said, “Positive criticism motivates the artist to act. As for negative criticism when it is objective, it is constructive and must be accepted, taking into account the difference in views and opinions about the artwork.

Regarding her opinion of the plastic movement, she affirmed, “The Syrian plastic movement is rich with many important and distinct artistic experiences since the 1960s until today. The opening of private galleries in addition to the government halls and  centers, holding exhibitions for the prominent artists, as well as  marketing and acquisition of works contributed to the development of the artistic movement.

It is noteworthy that the plastic artist Afaf Kharma was born in Homs in 1951. She graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Damascus. She taught art education in high schools and institutes of Hama, Homs and Damascus.

Amal Farhat