Syrian artist transforms environmental wastes into artworks

 Syrian artist Thamer Shmait’s exhibition, currently held at the Arab Cultural Centre in the city of al Hasaka, includes about 200 artistic works made from natural materials such as paper and wood from the local environment.

In the exhibition, which is organized by the Directorate of Culture in cooperation with “Syria al-Yamama” Charity, Shmait displays diverse sculptures, oil paintings and flowers made of natural materials.

Thamer told SANA that he used more than 20 environmental waste materials such as paper, wood, cement and tree branches and converted them into art pieces used in decorations at homes.

 The Syrian artist asserted that the exhibition aims at drawing attention to the importance of benefitting from environmental waste through turning them into beautiful artworks.

Noura Suleiman, Director of Child Culture Department at the Directorate of Culture, indicated that the idea of using materials available everywhere to make beautiful exhibits is highly welcomed by visitors of the exhibition.

Saeed Khider, the Chairman of “Syria al-Yamama” Association, explained that the exhibition aims at focusing on the importance of preserving environment and benefitting from its waste for artistic purposes and at reactivating the artistic movement in Syria after a period of quarantine because of coronavirus crisis.

Shmait held a similar exhibition in 2017 that aimed at preserving the Syrian local environment by recycling environmental wastes.

Nada Haj Khidr