I recently set up an exhibition in the headquarters of the Humanistic Institute for Development Cooperation (Hivos) in The Hague. The works are by the young Syrian artist Mahmoud Dayoub. Hivos headquarters are situated on the Raamweg 16 in The Hague and the exhibition can be seen every weekday during office hours (8am to 6pm) until 7 December 2011.
Mahmoud Dayoub, untitled; oil on canvas, 180 x 140 cm, 2011
The old city of Damascus counts dozens of ateliers and artists initiatives, especially in the Jewish quarter, which was neglected after most of its inhabitants emigrated to Israel.
Ammar al Beik: Basic Instinct, 2008
Syria has always had a lively visual arts scene. Appreciated by regional Arab collectors it failed in contrast to attract the attention of the West, where Syrian art was seen as a decorative mix between traditional Islamic themes and dated Western influences. Over the past two years, however, Syrian artists and galleries have rejoined the Middle-Eastern avant-garde, which is slowly but surely establishing itself internationally. Continue reading