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Syrian artists who were scattered across different countries during years of war are reconnecting with creators who remained at home through a collaborative exhibition in the historic center of Damascus.
Titled "Damascus Brings Us All Together," the exhibition brings recent works by displaced and resident Syrian artists into the same space at The Khan, an art venue in the Old City, while also seeking to rebuild creative ties that were disrupted by the conflict.
Alongside the exhibition, the project includes a workshop led by prominent Syrian artist Sara Shamma, bringing together participants from different regions and backgrounds.
The initiative reflects an effort to bring artists who followed very different paths during the war back into direct contact through their work.
Amjad Mekki, the owner of The Khan, returned to Syria in 2024 after leaving the country in 2013. He said many of the works on display draw directly on experiences shaped by the conflict.
Among the stories represented in the exhibition is that of an artist who spent a decade confined to his home after refusing military conscription.
During those years, the artist repeatedly painted an almond tree visible outside his window, turning the limited view available to him into a recurring subject in his work.
Syria's conflict began in 2011 with an uprising against the rule of Bashar al-Assad before escalating into a civil war. Many of the artists taking part in the Damascus exhibition were forced to leave the country during the years of fighting.
By bringing together artists who remained in Syria and those who were dispersed abroad, "Damascus Brings Us All Together" places their recent work side by side in the capital where many of their artistic paths first diverged.
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