A Syrian expatriate artist chooses her mother country for her launch into the world of photography

Damascus-SANA

The daughter of the city of Aleppo, Al-Shahba, chose the Syrian-Canadian artist, Tamader Al-Khatib, to start her debut in the world of photography from her motherland by setting up her solo exhibition in the heart of old Damascus, believing that human dignity and value start from his homeland.

The exhibition was entitled “Roots” and was hosted by Mustafa Ali Art Gallery, during which Tamader displayed a group of photographs reflecting the social diversity that characterizes the Syrian and Canadian societies.

The exhibition, through 45 panels, sheds light on the Syrian expatriates in Canada who immigrated a long time ago and have adhered to their original customs and traditions to this day through 9 stories of families from different Syrian regions started by Tamader from the village of Al-Marah, the land of the Damascene Rose.

The Tamader lens spoke about Anahid and Simon, the couple who left their land in Armenia as a result of the crimes of the Ottoman occupation against the Armenians, and were welcomed by Syria with their families to be another color that joined the ancient, plural and harmonious Syrian society, which everyone participates in building.

In comparison with Canadian society, Tamader moved her lens through another set of photos she took to the Canadian Amish group, and in another group she shed light on the Canadian indigenous peoples who lived mainly south of the Arctic Circle.

Tamader transferred the recipient through another group to the Canadian village of Westfield, which contains more than 35 historical buildings, and its residents still maintain their traditional customs, cultures and professions.

In an exclusive interview with SANA, Tamader explained that she chose to hold her first solo exhibition in Syria despite her participation in group exhibitions abroad because of her belief that the Syrian will achieve his value and humanitarian honor from his homeland, which presented the greatest artists, intellectuals, thinkers and musicians whose works are spread around the world.

She indicated that she tried to focus in the exhibition on the cultural and civilizational diversity in Syria, which she found similar to Canada in terms of embracing different nationalities that enjoyed their full freedom to practice their own customs, traditions and rituals.

Tamader sought, through its lens, to deliver a message to the world that the status of man, wherever he is, lies in his original culture, which he should not abandon just to move to live in another country.

With this exhibition, Tamader lays the first basis for her documentary project, which focuses on the cultures of the world, especially the immigrant ones, which found countries such as Syria that welcomed all those who sought refuge and provided them with safety and care.

Tamader sent a message to her countrymen, saying, "We cannot deny the magnitude of the pressures that Syria is exposed to and their direct impact on the human being, but these conditions have been experienced by all countries of the world, even developed ones. He is great and creative in all fields, and public opinion in all societies appreciates and respects the artistic material rich in knowledge and talent.”

It is also the duty of the Syrians, as you can see, to present a bright image of our country other than what is promoted in the media and to employ art in all its forms because it is a tool and a bridge to convey our ideas and a civilized message, pointing out the importance of introducing the peoples of the world to the great Syrian cultural heritage.

On the sidelines of the exhibition, oud player and composer Kenan Adnawi performed a concert with the participation of professional musicians Muhammad Shehadeh on percussion, Bassem Salha on clarinet, Ghatafan Adnawi on violin and Maher Khedr on the law.

During the evening, Adnawi presented a group of musical pieces composed by him, including a story of love and a greeting, and a group of pieces from the Syrian heritage and muwashshahs, including Qadak al-Mayyas, a Hijazi song, and a dance for lovers, which formed a space for improvisation and interaction between the audience and the musicians.

In a statement to Sana Ben Adnawi, he sought to choose a program related to the identity of Syrian music in some details, along with a tour of some of our existing artistic cultures, rhythmically, artistically and lyrically, with the aim of making the evening in harmony with the theme of the exhibition.

It is noteworthy that Tamader Al-Khatib, born in 1983, studied media at Cairo University and holds degrees in photography, advertising and marketing from Sheraden University, Canada.

Rasha Mahfoud