Damascus-Sana
The Syrian Plastic Art Days 2020 kicked off this evening for the third consecutive season held by the Fine Arts Directorate at the Ministry of Culture under the title “Creativity Continues” at Dar Al-Assad for Culture and Arts.
The event included the opening of an exhibition that included paintings by the late plastic artist Naseer Shura in the lobby of the house to celebrate the centenary of his birth, which is considered one of the most important figures in contemporary Syrian plastic art.
An exhibition of three late plastic artists who left an important imprint on the artistic movement’s march, Tariq Al-Sharif, Ali Al-Sabouni and George Janoura, was also opened in the exhibition hall.
An exhibition of the honored artists, Shalabiyya Ibrahim, who was distinguished by her innate style and themes drawn from rural and popular life, and Dr. Mohamed Ghanoum, the owner of the unique style of lettering and Edward Shahda, who drew his subjects from stories, myths and local icons, and Ali Mukaws, the artist of vibrant color relationships, was also opened within the event.
The official ceremony included an audiovisual presentation, a tribute to the spirit of the artist Shura, written by Maestro Adnan Fathallah, entitled “The Story of a Painting”.
During the ceremony, certificates of appreciation were distributed to the families of the late artists and the four honored.
In her speech, Minister of Culture, Dr. Labana Mashouh, said: “The Syrian plastic art is distinguished by the richness of its experiences and names and the abundance of its trends,” confirming the state’s keenness and interest in art and its various creative options, noting the role of plastic artists and critics alike in developing the plastic movement and defending the Syrian culture.
The ceremony was concluded with a musical evening by the Syrian National Band for Arab Music, led by Maestro Fathallah.
In a statement to SANA, Director of Fine Arts Imad Kashout expressed his hope that this annual demonstration will renew the plastic art and shed light on the Syrian artist, pointing out that despite the conditions of war and what the world is exposed to from the Corona pandemic, plastic art has not stopped with the passion of artists and all those who love this art.
Shalabiyya Ibrahim expressed her gratitude for the honor and the Ministry of Culture's interest in the creators, while plastic artist Edward Shahd considered that honoring any artistic and cultural situation is an important thing and must be done periodically, noting the need to highlight the creativity of distinguished artists.
Plastic artist Mohamed Ghanoum emphasized that the honor carries a special flavor at this time, and it is a victory for art, noting the role of the Ministry of Culture in organizing events targeting all specialties despite the burdens and difficult circumstances.
The activities of the Syrian Plastic Art Days, which will last until the 21st of this month, include the opening of autumn exhibitions, Arabic calligraphy, ceramics and photography, a retrospective of the seventies artists, various exhibitions in private galleries, in addition to a competition for portrait sculpture for young artists in the Damascus Citadel, seminars at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Damascus and an oil painting forum At Al-Baath University and a forum at the Al-Manara University of Lattakia.
Rasha Mahfoud and Mays Al-Ani