An artist turns Syria into a woman with black and white paintings

In light of the wars and events that Syria witnessed during the past years, it was not possible for the artistic experience to remain isolated from this heavy reality, but rather it turned into a highly sensitive space that also reflects memory. Within this context, the works of Syrian painter Safwan Dahoul take on a visual dimension that goes beyond aesthetics, becoming more like a human record that documents pain, transformation, and the constant search for meaning.

Dahoul did not expect the “Dream” series to continue thirty years after its launch, which was first written as the title of an artistic work that he considered in its beginnings to be a temporary experience, before it turned over time into an integrated visual and intellectual project that reshaped his concept of the dream. Dahoul pointed out that the recurring character in his works, which revolves around the presence of women, did not remain constant in its connotations, but rather evolved over time. He explained that in the beginning of his works, it was linked to romantic themes and the dualities of love, loss, joy, and sadness it carries.

But after 2011 and the transformations that Syria witnessed, its role changed to become a “witness” to what was happening, as it began to be used to express reality in an indirect way, far from a direct presentation, as if it was narrating what was happening around it, and at the same time bearing the features of the ongoing Syrian transformations, until it became closer to a symbolic embodiment of Syria itself. The Syrian painter confirmed that his works often stand at the border between reality and the subconscious, pointing out that the painting is not separate from the reality in which we live, but at the same time it is not limited to it only.

He pointed out that the artist starts from reality, but expands his vision to include the different dimensions of time, considering that this ability to expand is what gives the painting its value and continuity. He also explained his long dependence on black, white, and shades of gray, explaining that although he is not fanatical about any color, these shades give him a deeper expressive ability than other colors give him.

He pointed out that these choices do not come from a lack of color, but rather from an aesthetic and intellectual conviction, considering that reality itself, in many cases, is closer to gray than to loud colors. He added that the themes of loss, loneliness, and waiting are repeated in his works as part of shared human memory, especially since art in its essence is not an isolated individual experience, but rather an extension of a long history of human expression through painting, music, and poetry, stressing that the painting must reflect the era in which the artist lives, with its ability to continue and transcend its time.

As for the impact of the transformations that his country has witnessed in recent years on his artistic path, Dahoul answered: “The artist cannot be separated from his surroundings, but rather is a witness to what is happening around him. The character that is repeated in my works is no longer just a visual element, but has become closer to a symbol that carries the features of the Syrian reality itself.”

Despite the privacy of his experience, Dahoul emphasized that he avoids imposing any direct interpretation on his works, indicating that he prefers to leave the recipient the freedom to read and interpret, and considering that the artistic work is not complete except through the eye of the viewer. He also explained that memory constitutes a basic material in his works, pointing out that he deals with the painting as if he were taking pictures with an invisible camera, later turning it into a visual and emotional archive that documents time and man together, considering that this archive is part of the memory of the period in which he lives, and may extend to later times.