The Atassi Foundation’s recent exhibition, “Personal Revolutions: Women Artists from Syria,” prompts a much-needed discussion on the work of female Syrian artists. Running from March to April earlier this year, the exhibition celebrated Syrian women artists as “female fighters” who create their own revolutions. Mouna Atassi, the founder of Atassi Foundation, begins the exhibition’s catalog with an illuminating message, calling for “An Eye on the Past and an Eye on the Present.” Tracing artists and artwork from the pre-modern period to the contemporary scene, “Personal Revolutions” brings Syrian women artists and their contributions into the spotlight. The exhibit features work by Itab Hreib, Hiba Ansari, Loujaina Al-Assil, and several others, as well as several illuminating essays on the history and importance of female artists in Syria. From traditional art forms to the use of modern technology, this exhibit not only looks to the past and present, but also the future.
Excerpted from Naomi Pham's “Personal Revolutions: Women Artists from Syria,” which appeared in Al Jadid Magazine, Vol. 23, No. 77, 2019.
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