Unique Paintings for Prominent World Artists Decorate the Streets of Lattakia

Art is one of the most important means of enriching the mind, as it is the work of fertile, creative imaginations that showcase the cultures of  people  or ancient historical events and experiences.

There is increasing interest in disseminating works of art in all parts of the cities, primarily due to the deep conviction of the importance of art in the life of society ,  its happiness and prosperity. This interest has expanded to take sophisticated forms such as the establishment of open-air museums as well as carrying out several artistic initiatives, workshops and campaigns where some places    are devoted to spreading artworks throughout them, thus becoming a destination for enjoying the arts.  

A group of young volunteers at “I Draw My Dream” artistic association in Lattakia has recently carried out  activities of the fourth stage of the association’s  open-day artistic campaign which is held under the title  “ Haytana Btehki”  (our walls are talking) . 

Shedding light on this campaign , Syriatimes e-newspaper interviewed  plastic artist Hiyam Salman, a founding member of the association and the director of the campaign who said  “Art has a monumental impact on culture and society around the world. It  is important in sustaining life and  should be viewed  as highly important  to create a thriving society with meaningful expression , imagination and flourishing cultures”.  

Regarding “ Haytana Btehki ”   campaign the artist said   “the primary goal of the campaign is to  spread the culture of art and transform the faded walls  into lines and colors that are full of life and vitality and tell in the language of art stories that spread  hope, joy and giving .

She pointed out that  “ through the voluntary  team which carried  the stages of the campaign we tried to promote the idea of voluntary  work through art in a way that serves society  and achieves   positive repercussions”. “Before implementing the campaign’s  activities and selecting the graphics, we study the place, the general taste and the visual messages that we want to direct at a high level through the drawings” Artist Salman said.

within the framework of presenting their art to serve the public interest   the  voluntary team of the association carried out the fourth stage of the campaign which targeted the martyr “Samir Qassem” kindergarten in  Besnada neighborhood in  Lattakia in cooperation with local sides.  

“We chose ideas that are rich in beauty elements and  suitable for  the child’s world and imagination, with a focus on the educational and entertainment aspect. We  drew paintings from nature  including  trees,  whose  leaves are  the alphabets  and  their fruits are  figures  as well as  marine symbols such as a mermaid and fish” Artist Salman made clear.

She pointed out that other paintings on mathematical symbols and calculations with their bright colors   attracted  children to study more easily. 

Talking about the three former stages of the campaign , artist Salman said “  with the aim of shedding light on important world  artworks  , the 27-volunteers were skilled and unique during  carrying out  the  two  stages  of the campaign.   they drew famous paintings for  major international artists such as  the Russian artist Wassily   Kandinsky,  the Austrian symbolist painter Gustav Klimt, the French artist Henri Matisse,  and the two spanish artists Salvador Dali  and Pablo Picasso”

She indicated that the paintings   decorated  a number of the walls of  “Besnada” neighborhood in Lattakia and four of its main stairs , where the viewer imagines that he is wandering around in an open-air gallery”. 

 “ the main goal of  another  stage was environmental, health and medical one as the campaign  targeted the Children’s and Maternity Hospital in Lattakia,. The walls of 16 rooms at  the General Diseases Department were decorated  with lovely and appropriate drawings for children ” the artist said . 

Syriatimes met some of the volunteers at the campaign most of whom are university students and graduates with a distinctive talent and a plastic artistic background. 

Mantoura Alaa El-Din,  the Secretary of  “ I draw my dream “ artistic association and a volunteer at the campaign stressed that the  teamwork spirit and concerted efforts when implementing the first stage of the campaign motivated us  to implement enthusiastically  other stages of the campaign”. 

She underlined that  the drawings  on the  walls of the kindergarten  aimed  to add a touch of vitality and brightness to the walls of the kindergarten and to introduce joy to the hearts of its children, as an alternative to the cold white walls.

An overwhelming feeling of happiness that volunteer Alisar Salhab   cannot describe every time she sees a smile on  the innocent faces of children  at the kindergarten, noting  the importance of art in the imagination world of  children . 

“ I participated in the campaign in drawing rainbow with its attractive colors , cartoon figures as well as symbols which call for love, tolerance and cooperation”. 

It is noteworthy  to mention that  “ I draw my dream “ artistic Association was  established  in 2010 and seeks to spread artistic awareness, discover and develop talents and  link art with life. 

Interviewed by : Rawaa Ghanam

Photos by : Rawaa Ghanam