‘Albatross’ — an ode to Syria and its people

Two weeks ago, social media was flooded with videos from war-torn Syria as around 80 people including children died in a chemical gas attack in the town of Khan Shaykhun.

While Syria has been witnessing tragedies one after the other, artist Fatima Munir has chosen the historical city of Aleppo to describe the conflict through her paintings; works that depict the destruction of physical infrastructure just as profoundly as the humanitarian impact manifesting in the form of the worst refugee crisis in recent world history.

Titled ‘Albatross’ – a symbolic title owing to its metaphorical usage for a load which is psychological in nature – the show running till April 20 at Canvas Art Gallery features work  ranging from patterns to flower motifs in embroidery.

‘Ode to Syria’ (inkjet paint on canvas with hand embroidery) shows a woman staring at a ravaged building. That image is also seen in the series of nine paintings, ‘Forever’, which stand out amongst the others.

Two canvases which are also inkjet print with hand embroidery, ‘Refugee’ shows a still lifeboat near a seashore with life jackets strewn around, depicting the plight of all those escaping the war or still living in the danger zone.

In the artist’s own words, she is someone who remains greatly concerned about the events shaping our world. “My work has always been about my psychological place in society. It could be about living and raising a family in one of the most dangerous cities of the world or, as in this series, being a guilty spectator as a global citizen.”

“They say actions speak louder than words, but patterns usually present the best picture. While Aleppo, unfortunately, may not be a one-of-a-kind situation, but in this age of digital media it is the one that has been in my face the most, devastating and frustrating me every day.”

‘Make Peace — End War Now’ shows a version of a Rubik’s cube, and is perhaps a cry for help. Fatima feels that though the plight of those suffering in Aleppo is unimaginable, she hopes her work may help: “What is lost can never be replaced but I hope that like my patterns, every person who has faced the atrocities in Aleppo may be able to find a new beginning, a chance to grow. The scars of their wounds may never go, but may they be filled with fragrance of a better tomorrow.”