Painting in Damascus (MePri-News)

9.10.2011

Damascus I: The invisible insurrection

Dutch artist Theo de Feyter recently published some of the paintings and drawings which he created in April this year in the streets of Damascus. “The situation was very tense due to the demonstrations that took place allover the country.”

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14.10.2011

Damascus II: Portrait Studio

From September 18th until mid November 2011 Berlin based artist Fritz Best realises a portrait and interview project in the Syrian capital. Images from this series are presented on his website, as it is developed.

“Portrait Studio Damascus is, amongst other things, an attempt to draw the mood of a society during an historic moment of change. By using drawing rather than photography and taking the portrait process into an older pictorial medium I am able to build up a relatively intense relationship with my subject in a short space of time. When invited I visit people’s homes and workspaces, trying to discover what moves them and incorporating images of these places into the portrait project. Sometimes conversations suggest a more abstract image. In a place where photography has become taboo the painter’s methods generally elicit good will rather than suspicion. It is common for tourists visiting popular destinations to have their portrait drawn by local artists. Going into the streets and reversing this process in a city suddenly drained of foreigners, has a particular appeal.” (Fritz Best)